Player Discussion Mitch Marner

[notDatsyuk]

He played much better with Tavares. Leave him there

Away from Matty. With either JT or Willy as his centre.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Did he have Doug Gilmour? No, he had Peter Zezel. The guy was talented, but injured all the time because he played hockey like it was war. Once he was given a legit center, he showed what he was capable of.

Not really interested in debating Clark. Just pointing out the massive difference in your example.

 

[Antropovsky]

Did he have Doug Gilmour? No, he had Peter Zezel. The guy was talented, but injured all the time because he played hockey like it was war. Once he was given a legit center, he showed what he was capable of.

.....I mean, Marner can't hit 100 points with Matthews as his linemate lol. Meanwhile wingers like Kucherov and Panarin have 40 plus points more than their next linemate.

Go back in these Marner threads to a around mid season and you'll see Marner fans saying Marner is better than Panarin lol.

 

[CapspaceKiller]

He looked horrible in the Lightning game. Parting of the red sea defensively.

He's getting more and more shape though. And was looking better and better until that game. I would play with him Tavares and have Domi/Bertuzzi with Matthews.

 

[saffronleaf]

The most disappointing of the core 4 this regular season. Never quite found the sustained magic he is beloved by some for.

 

[ACC1224]

The most disappointing of the core 4 this regular season. Never quite found the sustained magic he is beloved by some for.

I'd say he'd be ahead of Tavares but certainly a disappointing season by his standards.

 

[saffronleaf]

I've always said that Tavares isn't captain material. And always said Matthews should've been the captain.

Tavares is fine in a supporting role. Again, 11 million for a 27 year old Hart finalist, center, former #1 pick is a no brainer. Malkin isn't the most talkative guy but he worked out just fine in Pittsburgh in support of Crosby.

The other strange part of Toronto it's like they always wanted Marner and Matthew's to feel equal to each other or didnt want to hurt Marners feelings. Matthews sharing an A with Marner after as many years he has in the league and all his accolades, is child stuff. Quit treating these men like babies.

The moment Marner's camp publicly cried immediately after Matthews signed his first post-ELC deal, Marner should have been shopped around. The team took the approach of appeasing the childish toxicity of the Marner camp instead of swiftly and firmly shutting it down.


Paul and Mitch need to be put in their place.

 

[Antropovsky]

The moment Marner's camp publicly cried immediately after Matthews signed his first post-ELC deal, Marner should have been shopped around. The team took the approach of appeasing the childish toxicity of the Marner camp instead of swiftly and firmly shutting it down.


Paul and Mitch need to be put in their place.

.... or when Marners dad called Gilmour to complain about Babcock.

 

[Racer88]

.....I mean, Marner can't hit 100 points with Matthews as his linemate lol. Meanwhile wingers like Kucherov and Panarin have 40 plus points more than their next linemate.

Go back in these Marner threads to an around mid season and you'll see Marner fans saying Marner is better than Panarin lol.

Crazy isn’t it. Kucherov had more assist this year then Marne has ever gotten in a season and He hakes less then Marner. Things like this is why we can’t win

 

[saffronleaf]

I'd say he'd be ahead of Tavares but certainly a disappointing season by his standards.

Yea that's why I said disappointing. Because one has expectations for Marner. With JT, there are no expectations at all. Any positive contribution from him is a pleasant surprise.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I suggest taking a break from bitching about Marner, or anyone else that plays for the Maple Leafs. The playoffs start Saturday, let's send some positive energy out at all our players and hope they can pull off a miracle and bring the cup back to where it belongs. Once the playoffs are done, there will plenty of time to bitch about anyone and everyone.

Here's hoping Marner exorcises his demons and plays the best hockey of his career over the next 2 months. GLG!!

 

[Leafidelity]

I think he's lost his own identity playing with Matthews. Everything he does on the ice is an attempt to get Matthews open for a pass. And because its so obvious at this point, he's predictable. A good coach would have realized this years ago, but we have Keefe.

Hopefully Domi is back for game 1, so Sheldon doesnt fall back into his comforts.

 

[ACC1224]

Yea that's why I said disappointing. Because one has expectations for Marner. With JT, there are no expectations at all. Any positive contribution from him is a pleasant surprise.

Crazy to think in a down year where he missed a bunch of games he still led the team in assists

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I think he's lost his own identity playing with Matthews. Everything he does on the ice is an attempt to get Matthews open for a pass. And because its so obvious at this point, he's predictable. A good coach would have realized this years ago, but we have Keefe.

Hopefully Domi is back for game 1, so Sheldon doesnt fall back into his comforts.

Marner looks like Neo from the Matrix downloading moves remotely midplay when he's on his own and not looking for Matthews.

 

[Stephen]

Yea that's why I said disappointing. Because one has expectations for Marner. With JT, there are no expectations at all. Any positive contribution from him is a pleasant surprise.

Yeah, there aren’t really any expectations for Tavares and I’d say his popularity is not particularly high among the fanbase. He’s like the extra guy in the boy band.

 

[Stephen]

Marner looks like Neo from the Matrix downloading moves remotely midplay when he's on his own and not looking for Matthews.

I thought at times Marner was making a point to look off Matthews for other random options on the PP. He was doing his little C-Cut jig and dancing around a bit but was hard to figure out what he was looking for or trying to set up.

 

[sxvnert]

Starting this summer, I would prefer three separate lines created around the big three (Matthews, Marner, Nylander). Sign Marner to the 12.5/8yr hes probably asking for and move along. Notice how much better Matthews plays when surrounded by two skilled gritty players. Replicate this for Marner and Nylander.

The odd man out is J.T. If they can't come to some sort of Ryan Johansen type agreement (50% retained for futures to wherever he wants) then you bite the bullet capwise for another year, play him as a #3, give the captaincy to Matthews, and move on once its over.

 

[BraveCanadian]

The most disappointing of the core 4 this regular season. Never quite found the sustained magic he is beloved by some for.

Wut? 85 point season by a guy who missed 13 games is disappointing now hahah

 

[thusk]

.

The Athletic, indicating that Marners lack of scoring abilities is part of the reason its difficult for Matthews to produce assists, therefore making it challenging for Matthews in the Hart and the Art Ross race:

The better argument for Matthews comes down to support. It’s easier to get assists passing to Brayden Point, Mikko Rantanen and yes, Zach Hyman, than it is to Mitch Marner. It’s also easier getting to play more often with those players. Matthews has only spent 57 percent of his minutes with Marner — his only teammate above 50 percent. MacKinnon and McDavid both spend a lot of time with a stacked five-man unit, while Kucherov always has Point on his side (and usually Victor Hedman too). Couple all that with Toronto’s offensively weak defense corps and Matthews’ degree of difficulty on offense is substantially higher than everyone else’s.

you know matthews/ marner are both in top 5 of player producing the most at 5v5 since 2019-2020? they are producing at higher rate than kucherov/point...

the difference is the pp, nothing else.

 

[666]

I suggest taking a break from bitching about Marner

It's literally been years and today is the day to stop???

 

[Lightsol]

Matthews and Marner need a breakup for good. Not like a few shifts apart and then back together when the times get tough. Times get tougher when they’re together in the playoffs.

Keefe is the anti-Babcock in this respect. Keefe plays them together even in situations where he shouldn't. Babcock wouldn't play them together even in situation where he should have. Both ways are dumb as hell.

The top line was better with Domi. Marner is clearly a distant 2nd best player on the line, but takes everything over as if he's the top guy. He needs to either defer to Matthews as the driving force, or play with a center he's actually better than

Thing is, I don't think it's Marner that changes how he plays here; it's Matthews. When he's with Marner he prefers to let Marner carry the puck and just tries to be discount Steven Stamkos. When he's with literally anyone else he tends to carry the puck more himself.

Regardless, I'd start them separated, because I think it makes the Leafs more dangerous. Hell, I said all the way back in the Montreal series that Marner, Matthews and Nylander should be all on separate lines...

 

[Gary Nylund]

It's literally been years and today is the day to stop???

At this time last year I had been singing Marner's praises for quite some time so the bolded is incorrect. Perhaps "literally" doesn't mean what you think it means?

 

[Notsince67]

Marner looks like Neo from the Matrix downloading moves remotely midplay when he's on his own and not looking for Matthews.

Might be true for Matthews as well.

 

[Lightsol]

I thought at times Marner was making a point to look off Matthews for other random options on the PP. He was doing his little C-Cut jig and dancing around a bit but was hard to figure out what he was looking for or trying to set up.

Likely because he figured out what I wish the other Leafs had also figured out; if EVERYONE'S trying to get Matthews the puck, the other teams are going to key in on him. The most effective way to get Matthews good scoring chances is to get the puck to people who aren't Matthews, so the opponents can't key in on him specifically.

It's also why I argue that it's not Marner who changes how he plays with Matthews; it's Matthews who changes how HE plays. Marner looks to Matthews more when he's on the same line, but that's because Matthews is more dangerous, but he'll set up other guys if they're open. Matthews, OTOH, has a really annoying tendency when playing with Marner to stop trying to handle the puck himself and simply try to get himself into situations where he can shoot, which sucks because Matthews is a good passer when he wants to be. And the two were most dangerous a couple of years ago when they were trying to set each other and Bunting up rather than going to the same Marner-carries,Matthews-shoots gameplan they tried way too often this year.

 

[666]

At this time last year I had been singing Marner's praises for quite some time so the bolded is incorrect. Perhaps "literally" doesn't mean what you think it means?

Was that a flip or a flop that time and how long did it last? Oh yeah, right up until game 3 of the Florida series so about two weeks.

Let's get something clear, nothing that Marner or Matthews does these playoffs will change anything. Nothing good or bad.

When these playoff are over, win or lose, Marner will be the same player then as he is today. A superstar, and will be re-signed. Period.