Player Discussion Marner

ACC1224

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Berube loves Marner, recall all the haters saying he was going to sour on him. In fact, he's literally become the most important player he relies on. Need a goal, over the boards. Toughest matchup, get out there. Need to hold a lead, double shifts. D zone start, get out there. PK, starts every time, then out again at the end. The guy literally is doing it all for Berube.
It's been the same way for every coach he's ever played for.
 
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Gary Nylund

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Berube loves Marner, recall all the haters saying he was going to sour on him. In fact, he's literally become the most important player he relies on. Need a goal, over the boards. Toughest matchup, get out there. Need to hold a lead, double shifts. D zone start, get out there. PK, starts every time, then out again at the end. The guy literally is doing it all for Berube.
Marner's always been great during the regular season and the first 4 games in the playoffs, after that he becomes a passenger. Then his fanboys disappear for a while but early in the season they're back, the playoff failures are forgotten, they praise him to the heavens and ridicule anyone and everyone who dares to question the greatness of mighty money Mitch. This might be funny if I hadn't already seen this movie so many times before, now it's just sad. But then again, I value playoff performace above all else, there are those who don't care about the playoffs so I'm happy you guys are getting your jollies, I really am but me, I'll have to wait until April before I evaluate Marner, and same goes for everyone else that's playing for us.

Some people have expressed the hope that in a contract year, things will be different, I guess we'll see.
 
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Nineteen67

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Berube loves Marner, recall all the haters saying he was going to sour on him. In fact, he's literally become the most important player he relies on. Need a goal, over the boards. Toughest matchup, get out there. Need to hold a lead, double shifts. D zone start, get out there. PK, starts every time, then out again at the end. The guy literally is doing it all for Berube.
He’s been really good…..let’s see if Berube can keep him engaged and equally effective throughout the playoffs.
 
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Confucius

There is no try, Just do
Feb 8, 2009
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Marner's always been great during the regular season and the first 4 games in the playoffs, after that he becomes a passenger. Then his fanboys disappear for a while but early in the season his fanboys are back, the playoff failures are forgotten, they praise him to the heavens and ridicule enyone and everyone who dares to question the greatness of mighty money Mitch. This might be funny if I hadn't already seen this movie so many times before, now it's just sad. But then again, I value playoff performace above all else, there are those who don't care about the playoffs so I'm happy you guys are getting your jollies, I really am but me, I'll have to wait until April before I evaluate Marner, and same goes for everyone else that's playing for us.

Some people have expressed the hope that in a contract year, things will be different, I guess we'll see.
Can the other 22 guys do nothing without him. Does he have to do it all every game?
 

DarkKnight

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Jan 17, 2017
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He’s been really good…..let’s see if Berube can keep him engaged and equally effective throughout the playoffs.
Sure, no doubt. Ditto 34 with his one goal last two playoff series.

I will say one thing I've noticed on the positive front, he's more direct this year, which I attribute to Berube's philosophy. He's also more engaged on the walls and actually having some success. Little things that bode well, but it doesn't matter if it doesn't translate when it matters.
 

Antropovsky

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Jun 2, 2007
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Berube loves Marner, recall all the haters saying he was going to sour on him. In fact, he's literally become the most important player he relies on. Need a goal, over the boards. Toughest matchup, get out there. Need to hold a lead, double shifts. D zone start, get out there. PK, starts every time, then out again at the end. The guy literally is doing it all for Berube.

Nobody claimed that, but certain Marner-only fans would have you believe otherwise.

Here's what Marner critics actually said:

- Berube won’t like Marner’s perimeter play.
- Berube will want straightforward, north-south hockey.
- Berube won’t appreciate the flashy, cute plays.
- Berube will expect Marner to engage in physical battles.
- Marner doesn’t drive offense; his high-skilled linemates do.

Berube emphasized that players must “work hard and compete hard.” If anyone exemplifies working hard without truly competing hard, it was Marner.

So far, all these observations have been accurate.

Marner critics also noted that it’s a contract year, and like many players in this situation, Marner is going to play his heart out, especially since he wants to stay in Toronto more than anything. But Marner critics cautioned against handing out a massive deal during a contract year. Once Marner gets that $12 million per year for eight years with a full no-movement clause, expect his play to dip again—jullst as it often does with others.

And remember how Marner-only fans talked about Nylander last year? They claimed after his contract his play dropped...but now they are cautioning the same thing happening with Marner?

Also... its not playoffs yet. Marner Only Fans are always jumping up and down in the season, and forget about his postseasons, until Playoffs come around again and it's rinse and repeat.
 

Confucius

There is no try, Just do
Feb 8, 2009
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They are all in it together, Team sports are like that.
But the losses seem to be pinned on one guy. Does it not mean the successes should be pinned on the same guy? If Mitch plays poorly in games 1-4 we don’t get to games 5-7 anyway. If Mitch plays poorly during the regular season we don’t make the playoffs anyway
 

ACC1224

Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
Aug 19, 2002
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But the losses seem to be pinned on one guy. Does it not mean the successes should be pinned on the same guy? If Mitch plays poorly in games 1-4 we don’t get to games 5-7 anyway. If Mitch -lays poorly during the regular season we don’t make the playoffs anyway
Pinning the losses on one has always been silly, most know that.
 

Gary Nylund

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Oct 10, 2013
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But the losses seem to be pinned on one guy. Does it not mean the successes should be pinned on the same guy? If Mitch plays poorly in games 1-4 we don’t get to games 5-7 anyway. If Mitch plays poorly during the regular season we don’t make the playoffs anyway
Not true. You guys really need to bury this ridiculous strawman once and for all.
 

ITM

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Jan 26, 2012
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Well, I've often made the distinction of Marner's play before and after his big contract, the latter seeing (seemingly) much more of a perimeter player.

But the early returns so far look like Marner is engaging more towards the net and in the middle of the offensive zone and THAT's the kind of play that makes Marner a non-negotiable decision in terms of keeping him. That's the type of dynamic play that saw him rip he OHL to shreds. I hope this trend continues to grow where eventually we get a Marner that leaves it all out there and lets loose.

Maturity works at different speeds for different reasons for different people.

And interestingly, both Domi and Robertson were driving up the middle at various points in last night's game - against Boston.

The team definitely had a different looking focus.

Now "the Leafy thing" to do is to implode against successful trends. Wouldn't it be wonderful (for all the Seinfeld fans) if we somehow fell into an opposite way of doing things with respect to consistency, that produced the desired outcome?

Like keeping Matthews off of the 1st PP until it requires address.
 

Tie Domi Esquire

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Oct 18, 2010
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Well, I've often made the distinction of Marner's play before and after his big contract, the latter seeing (seemingly) much more of a perimeter player.

But the early returns so far look like Marner is engaging more towards the net and in the middle of the offensive zone and THAT's the kind of play that makes Marner a non-negotiable decision in terms of keeping him. That's the type of dynamic play that saw him rip he OHL to shreds. I hope this trend continues to grow where eventually we get a Marner that leaves it all out there and lets loose.

Maturity works at different speeds for different reasons for different people.

And interestingly, both Domi and Robertson were driving up the middle at various points in last night's game - against Boston.

The team definitely had a different looking focus.

Now "the Leafy thing" to do is to implode against successful trends. Wouldn't it be wonderful (for all the Seinfeld fans) if we somehow fell into an opposite way of doing things with respect to consistency, that produced the desired outcome?

Like keeping Matthews off of the 1st PP until it requires address.

Matthews will sulk if he's not on the top PP
 

ACC1224

Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
Aug 19, 2002
76,458
42,856
Well, I've often made the distinction of Marner's play before and after his big contract, the latter seeing (seemingly) much more of a perimeter player.

But the early returns so far look like Marner is engaging more towards the net and in the middle of the offensive zone and THAT's the kind of play that makes Marner a non-negotiable decision in terms of keeping him. That's the type of dynamic play that saw him rip he OHL to shreds. I hope this trend continues to grow where eventually we get a Marner that leaves it all out there and lets loose.

Maturity works at different speeds for different reasons for different people.

And interestingly, both Domi and Robertson were driving up the middle at various points in last night's game - against Boston.

The team definitely had a different looking focus.

Now "the Leafy thing" to do is to implode against successful trends. Wouldn't it be wonderful (for all the Seinfeld fans) if we somehow fell into an opposite way of doing things with respect to consistency, that produced the desired outcome?

Like keeping Matthews off of the 1st PP until it requires address.
Makes you wonder if Keefe was coaching him to play one way and now Berube is having him play another way.

You're right, he is looking more like he did in his London days when he played for Hunter.
 

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