Is Marner the best player on the Leafs?

[Sittler 27]

Glad to have them both, i might catch some flack but Marner reminds of a Gretzky lite

 

[TakeTheBody]

Where's Polak when we need him?

Gud pro.....

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Oooooooh salary cap woes ahead

 

[hector morrison]

Why stir the pot? All I know is that we are finally getting an opportunity to see them on the ice together...and they look like money!

 

[kesleaf]

nope ...

No.

And it's not close.

It's the American.

Deal with it......

No.

nope, he's in a fight for 3rd best

As good as Marner is, to think we may have a couple other Leafs even better?!!!!

Great time to be a Leafs fan.

 

[Matthews34]

I’m not slighting Matthews at all he’s amazing at what he does and is a franchise centre. I think we have a Malkin/Crosby situation in Toronto. Then Tavares on this team as well is just unfair.

 

[kesleaf]

I’m not slighting Matthews at all he’s amazing at what he does and is a franchise centre. I think we have a Malkin/Crosby situation in Toronto. Then Tavares on this team as well is just unfair.

Are you forgetting Nylander, Kadri, Rielly...

Totally unfair

 

[Notsince67]

I'm pretty sure Marner hasn't plateaued. Hard to say what his ceiling is. At the end of the year, the 1B line outscores the 1A line and Marner ends up with more points than anyone, a good case can be made. He is definitely the best player in the pre-season so far

 

[TDotMassive]

Matthews might end up being the best player every to wear the blue and white.... he is that good. Marner has Kane potential, so not that far behind. Certainly both could go down as the best post-expansion players. They're unreal talents, can you imagine we have them both? SO SICK! The next decade is going to be a blast!

 

[TDotMassive]

I'm pretty sure Marner hasn't plateaued. Hard to say what his ceiling is. At the end of the year, the 1B line outscores the 1A line and Marner ends up with more points than anyone, a good case can be made. He is definitely the best player in the pre-season so far

Plateaued? Hardly... kids just 21, he's barely warmed up. Wait 2-3 years from now... my gosh.

 

[Liminality]

It's funny cause this thread is actually underrating Matthews because that's just how good he is.
Marner is really good don't get me wrong but Matthews is just the complete package you want for a franchise player.

 

[613Leafer]

Remember that time Stalberg as I believe a rookie led the league in goals after the pre-season? I wouldn't project too much based on a small sample size training camp rosters.

 

[Beaninfritz]

Marner has vision and pure hockey sense as high as anyone in the NHL. He's small, not very strong or physical, below average shot, but his brain and decision making, speed at making those decisions are Gretzky-like.

Not being hyperbolic because of the MTL game. Just a fact. Crosby, Patrick Kane, Matt Barzal, Johnny Gaudreau are similar in that sense.

Matthews is better overall, and Tavares is a hybrid of both.

All three are close.

Let's see how the season goes!

6 feet tall at 175 lbs. is considered small? No, no it is not. He doesn't throw bone crushing hits, but he will engage physically when the situation warrants it.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I think Marner will lead the team in scoring more often than AM or JT.

 

[hamzarocks]

He will overtake tavares by all star game this season. If rielly has the growth I expect of him I can see him becoming our third best player.

By end of next season

1. Matthews
2. Marner
3.Tavares/Rielly
4.Tavres/Rielly
5. Nylander
6. Kadri

 

[ITM]

Remember that time Stalberg as I believe a rookie led the league in goals after the pre-season? I wouldn't project too much based on a small sample size training camp rosters.

Stalberg didn't lead the league in goals during the pre-season after a season of leading the Leafs in regular season points and almost doubling everyone else in playoffs points.

I get the caution against recency bias, but Mitch Marner is as good an example that we have in which any recent positive indication is consistent with conclusions that state Marner is an optimal performer now and will be going forward. The only question is - which I think the OP is asking - how much better can Marner be?

If we look at his junior numbers and pair them with his professional arc...It's not an unreasonable question being posed. And in fact, I think we're replicating the kind of parity within the lineup (at least at the forward position) that Detroit in the 90s/00s had. For some, Yzerman was the best RedWing and for others - and with valid reasoning - it was Sergei Fedorov.

I'm not arguing against Matthews being the best player on the club anymore than I've argued he shouldn't be the captain of the club in the near future. But...I have stated that I could see Marner as the captain, and per the OP, I can see how some might believe Marner to be the best player on the club.

For sanity's sake, I'll leave what the contractual entailment might be until next summer.

 

[frizzer1]

Matthews is a generational player .....and is on track to be the best maple leaf of all time.......but with Marner, we don't yet know how good he will be.
Right now he is a star and even an all star possibly, but not in Matthews' class.
But a year or two from now,that incredible vision added to more size and strength?
Who knows, he may end up the more productive of the 2.

It will be fun to watch them progress,that's for sure.

 

[ITM]

He will overtake tavares by all star game this season. If rielly has the growth I expect of him I can see him becoming our third best player.

By end of next season

1. Matthews
2. Marner
3.Tavares/Rielly
4.Tavres/Rielly
5. Nylander
6. Kadri

Andersen's going to fit in the top 5 somewhere. Expecting a historic season for Leafs goaltending this year.

 

[Matthews34]

Remember that time Stalberg as I believe a rookie led the league in goals after the pre-season? I wouldn't project too much based on a small sample size training camp rosters.

I’m not. I’m basing it on the his last 50 games he’s played in the regular season and playoffs.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Marner was the best player in the game last night, but overall I agree with many other posters, Auston Matthews is the best player on the Leafs. Marner is a fantastic player though along with Tavares and Nylander as well! Also Hyman is a very good player too. He is a honey badger and we need players like him.

 

[TDotMassive]

He will overtake tavares by all star game this season. If rielly has the growth I expect of him I can see him becoming our third best player.

By end of next season

1. Matthews
2. Marner
3.Tavares/Rielly
4.Tavres/Rielly
5. Nylander
6. Kadri

Agree with this mostly, except 5/6. Nylander has a long way to go before he's playing as well as Kadri, especially his 2-way game and compete level.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

The way I see it is this:

Who would you build your franchise around with? Matthews or marner?

Marleau Matthews Nylander
Johnsson Tavares Kapanen
Hyman Kadri Brown
Leivo Lindholm Ennis

OR

Marleau Tavares Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Hyman Lindholm Kapanen
Leivo GOAT Ennis

 

[Liminality]

The way I see it is this:

Who would you build your franchise around with? Matthews or marner?

Marleau Matthews Nylander
Johnsson Tavares Kapanen
Hyman Kadri Brown
Leivo Lindholm Ennis

OR

Marleau Tavares Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Hyman Lindholm Kapanen
Leivo GOAT Ennis

Still Matthews.

 

[ITM]

The way I see it is this:

Who would you build your franchise around with? Matthews or marner?

Marleau Matthews Nylander
Johnsson Tavares Kapanen
Hyman Kadri Brown
Leivo Lindholm Ennis

OR

Marleau Tavares Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Hyman Lindholm Kapanen
Leivo GOAT Ennis

The one where both Matthews and Marner are both a feasible option at the expense of Nylander rather than each other:

Marleau Matthews Marner
Johnsson Tavares Kapanen
Grundstrom Kadri Bracco
Hyman Lindholm Brown

 

[authentic]

He has the potential to be, and that's saying a heck of a lot with Matthews on the team. He may lead the team in points this season and many other seasons but he would have to have a bit of a gap over Matthews first considering how much better Matthews is defensively, and in their first two seasons Matthews has been comfortably our best offensive player. I'd say Tavares still could be our best player for the next few seasons atleast but my guess is he'll be a bit behind Marner and Matthews. Either way it will be fun to watch it all play out, it's a blessing to have all three of these guys. I can't wait for the season to start.