Mitch “Magic” Marner Thread

[Teeder Keon]

Where would you rank overall as a player? Top 10?

Right this moment
Top 5
Overall top 10
Potential for many years top 5

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think playing full time with Matthews has helped him there. Marner and JT were a very successful duo, but you saw it when JT was running cold, it was on Marner to try to get literally anything going. That's what got him off his game. His worst games were where the team was so generally impotent he'd get running all over the place at mach 5 looking like a headless chicken with three Mario Kart mushrooms. He's much more deliberate this year. The two of them bring out the best in each other.

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I couldn't believe some of the nonsense coming out of the fevered little minds and mouths of LeaFlanders during and after the contract negotiations, anytime Mitch was having some struggles. I kept thinking that you morons(and you know who you are!) don't deserve having this kid playing in Toronto. Mitchell is only 23 and is closing in on his peak and I say closing in because he's not quite there yet, yes there is still more to come.

I've said in the past that Mitch may go down as the greatest Leaf ever and even with Auston here I still believe it's possible, while Auston I think may tie Darryl's single game(6) goal scoring record someday. Mitchell I think has a real chance at breaking the single game point record (6G 4A). This young man puts up multi point games without even messing his hair up, yesterday's 4 pointer was I think the 3rd or 4th of his career, some guys play their whole lives and never record a 4 pointer and here he is doing it at this level. It's a marvel to behold, so sit back and enjoy.

Last season he was disappointing. The whole contract fiasco, then the cringe inducing video after signing that deal, then his performance, then saying he was not engaged game 1 against CBJ, all left a sour taste in my mouth. This season he has been great, a total 180.

 

[Notsince67]

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

What a dumb hot take. Marner is carrying the puck into the ozone most of the time. This kind of bullshit has gone to an extreme. People dont get carried to 93 or 123 point scoring streaks. Maybe you should get a clue

 

[93LEAFS]

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

He played at a 90 point pace being centered by Kadri as a 20 year old in the back half of 2017-18. Marner isn't carried.

 

[Leaftors]

What a dumb hot take. Marner is carrying the puck into the ozone most of the time. This kind of bullshit has gone to an extreme. People dont get carried to 93 or 123 point scoring streaks. Maybe you should get a clue

The best thing about stupidity is that it can be ignored

 

[Nooodles]

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

Oh my.
Posts like this still exists nowadays? People never give up, do they? This is like still trying to make other people believe the earth is actually flat. Good luck.

Btw it's nice going through this thread. I just want to let you know my friend, Mitchie, that I was here with you all the time, I love you, always have.


....you overpaid bum

 

[DarkKnight]

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

Such garbage lol.

 

[Mugzy97]

Seems like a shoe in for Team Canada no?

 

[RogerR]

Seems like a shoe in for Team Canada no?

A guarantee at this point

 

[34]

Marner's now at 27 points through 18 games played.

Not too shabby.

 

[ACC1224]

Seems like a shoe in for Team Canada no?

1000%

 

[horner]

What a dumb hot take. Marner is carrying the puck into the ozone most of the time. This kind of bullshit has gone to an extreme. People dont get carried to 93 or 123 point scoring streaks. Maybe you should get a clue

Do people not think that other people on this forum watch games.

Being from London I have watched Marner for many yrs.

He has never needed a player to get his game going its usually the other way around ..
Last yr was an of yr for him still a great season but not what I expect from him.

He has improved his game every year .

Marner stirs his own drink .

 

[RogerR]

Marner was the one running cold last year. Tavares had to carry him, but also had to deal with Marner holding the puck most of the time.

Matthews is helping him out a lot. Marner can't dominate a line on his own, and if he struggles to get the puck to scorers like he did at times last year, he is not nearly as useful, but we have seen what can happen when the scoring center does drive the line and he can get the puck to them in scoring areas.

Come on, the guy somehow got 69 points with 16 mins of TOI and a lot of 3rd line minutes as a 20 year-old. He's a star on his own. That's why he went #4 overall in a hstorically great draft.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Oh my.
Posts like this still exists nowadays? People never give up, do they? This is like still trying to make other people believe the earth is actually flat. Good luck.

Btw it's nice going through this thread. I just want to let you know my friend, Mitchie, that I was here with you all the time, I love you, always have.


....you overpaid bum

Such garbage lol.

My goodness people are overly defensive.

If you care to listen to my reasoning, and not just immediately dismiss people who don't 100% agree with you, then read on.

Marner struggled to score last year, and he was forcing a lot of passes. That doesn't mean he was incapable of putting up points, or being effective, because he is still one of the best playmakers out there... But Tavares was absolutely not the one who was running cold on that line.

As for not being able to carry a line, I think he needs a really good finisher to reach anywhere close to his peak performance. I think if you don't give him that guy, he is nowhere near as effective as what he is right now playing with Matthews, or playing with Tavares last year. For example, if you gave Matthews a couple of line mates like Kerfoot and Hyman, I think he would still find a way to rack up points. I think Tavares would be capable of doing that as well (when he is not on a cold streak obviously). I am not as confident in saying that Marner, or Nylander, could do that. That doesn't mean they don't make Matthews and Tavares significantly better than Kerfoot, or they can't still be very effective and productive players. That is why they are worth their money (or at least the vast majority of it). But true line drivers need to be able to do everything and I don't think Marner has enough of a shot to be able to do everything. I don't think there are many wingers in general who are capable of being line drivers all on their own, and it is not a reflection of ability or skill as much as a player profile.

If you don't like my opinion, that is fine. I definitely think comparing it to "garbage" or "convincing people that the earth is flat" is wildly outlandish and extremely reckless.

 

[Notsince67]

Do people not think that other people on this forum watch games.

Being from London I have watched Marner for many yrs.

He has never needed a player to get his game going its usually the other way around ..
Last yr was an of yr for him still a great season but not what I expect from him.

He has improved his game every year .

Marner stirs his own drink .

At the least, he carries his own baggage

 

[Dekes For Days]

Marner is unquestionably able to drive a line. It would just be stupid to not put him with elite goal-scorers when available, considering his talents.

 

[authentic]

Marner is unquestionably able to drive a line. It would just be stupid to not put him with elite goal-scorers when available, considering his talents.

Basically what Babcock did for the first 4 years of their career. So glad he's gone.

 

[Notsince67]

Marner is unquestionably able to drive a line. It would just be stupid to not put him with elite goal-scorers when available, considering his talents.

I'm not sure what people dont get. Every elite player will have to carry an inferior player to a degree. When they are paired with other elite players, their burden is lessened and they produce more. This is just common sense.

 

[therealkoho]

Last season he was disappointing. The whole contract fiasco, then the cringe inducing video after signing that deal, then his performance, then saying he was not engaged game 1 against CBJ, all left a sour taste in my mouth. This season he has been great, a total 180.

sorry to hear that, but what he does off ice has nothing to do with how his play on ice should be judged.

So he held out for the most money he could get, so does every other player in the league, the union and the agents demand it, it's really that simple. Last year Mitch put up 1.14 PPG which included the perceived slow start of 16 points in the 14 oct games or maybe it was the 2 points in 4 November games when he was out with injury, either way he finished in the top 20 and somehow that's considered disappointing. I'm truly sorry but I respectfully disagree

of all the Leafs that played way below their individual levels against Columbus, Mitch was the only one who took any ownership of his own liability and responsibilities on the ice, every other guy on that team came out with the same dumb platitudes "yeah y'know we have to play better as a team" "we didn't do enough for Freddie" etal

He stood up and took all the BS LeaFland could dish out, having someone shoulder blame and not passing the buck should be admired and not derided

 

[RogerR]

Marner is unquestionably able to drive a line. It would just be stupid to not put him with elite goal-scorers when available, considering his talents.

Yet Mike Babcock thought they should never play together. I hope he never coaches again.

 

[ACC1224]

Yet Mike Babcock thought they should never play together. I hope he never coaches again.

There is a thought that this was done as a way to suppress their points which would lower their next contracts. Only Babcock and Lou would know if that’s true but it wouldn’t surprise me. Didn’t work anyway.

 

[RogerR]

There is a thought that this was done as a way to suppress their points which would lower their next contracts. Only Babcock and Lou would know if that’s true but it wouldn’t surprise me. Didn’t work anyway.

I am confidant that their agents were very aggressive in their arguments about how much less usage they get compared to their peers., thus affecting their production. Matthews was still not top 60 in avg TOI among NHL forwards in year 3. It was crazy. How does this help the team? His production has soared under Keefe because of how much more usage he's getting.

 

[ACC1224]

I am confidant that their agents were very aggressive in their arguments about how much less usage they get compared to their peers., thus affecting their production. Matthews was still not top 60 in avg TOI among NHL forwards in year 3. It was crazy. How does this help the team? His production has soared under Keefe because of how much more usage he's getting.

Team was in a different place then, so you can’t compare the two. Winning wasn’t necessarily the top priority like it is now.

 

[RogerR]

Team was in a different place then, so you can’t compare the two. Winning wasn’t necessarily the top priority like it is now.

The issue is by year 3 in the playoffs (Year 4 with Babcock) it should have been. That 2nd Boston series was so winnable. MIke Babcock just got destroyed by Cassidy. Even their players were stunned Matthews and Marner didn't play more. And the obsession with "Line-matching" lets the opponent's coach to dictate how much your players play