Player Discussion Mitch Marner, Continued

[Zybalto]

Notice how Berube plays Rielly less than his other top four dman. Bottom six is definitely devoid of scoring. They need to pick up a good two way 3C or have one of Marner or Nylander drive the third line.

Yup, a solid 3rd line C would do wonders.

McMann/Tavares/Marner
Robertson/Matthews/Domi
Knies/x/Nylander
Holmberg/Kampf/Lorentz

Matthews would get our 2 underperforming wingers going. Top 3 lines would be basically 1a/1b/1c with the right guy.

 

[sunstersun]

Yup, a solid 3rd line C would do wonders.

McMann/Tavares/Marner
Robertson/Matthews/Domi
Knies/x/Nylander
Holmberg/Kampf/Lorentz

Matthews would get our 2 underperforming wingers going. Top 3 lines would be basically 1a/1b/1c with the right guy.

I'm on board. Marner has shown something this regular season he hasn't shown in a while. I don't think he particularly played well last year after he shifted off Matthew's line. I can now chalk it up to injury.

When Matthews comes back, we should absolutely try running 3 lines.

If Marner plays like this, does well this postseason. Yeah I'll be very happy paying him.

It does make it silly that we NEVER discovered this.

Marner is a completely different beast without Matthews.

 

[Stephen]

I'm on board. Marner has shown something this regular season he hasn't shown in a while. I don't think he particularly played well last year after he shifted off Matthew's line. I can now chalk it up to injury.

When Matthews comes back, we should absolutely try running 3 lines.

If Marner plays like this, does well this postseason. Yeah I'll be very happy paying him.

It does make it silly that we NEVER discovered this.

Marner is a completely different beast without Matthews.

We saw Matthews elevate with Domi and Bertuzzi last year and we are seeing Marner elevate this year during the 6 game stretch. Both seem comfortable together and when they dominate in their comfort zone, we see complacency seep into their games and it doesn't set them up well for more pressure cooker moments.

Split them up for good and let them knuckle down and drive their own lines. Keep Marner's Tavares unit together, and when Matthews comes back, create a line with Domi and whatnot and let them battle.

 

[LeafSteel]

First of all you claim the marner negotiations were contentious but there was only one player who missed games and was a contentious signing and that was nylander.
The biggest mistake is giving matthews everything he wants like most money and shortest contract years.

In my opinion we will never win a cup with matthews . Doesn’t have the killer instinct and just wants all the money he can get.

Both negotiations were contentious, but Nylander’s outcome was a reasonable contract.

Marner’s had an unreasonable contract and media reports of Marner’s camp inviting offer sheets to drive up the price and force the Leafs hand.

I would have been perfectly fine with Marner sitting out like Nylander if Marner had signed for the $8.5-$9m he was initially willing to sign for, instead of him thinking that he needs to be paid like Matthews, and all the other bullshit he did that soured him with many in the fan base.

You DO see the difference in those 2 scenarios, don’t you?

 

[Ports]

Yup, a solid 3rd line C would do wonders.

McMann/Tavares/Marner
Robertson/Matthews/Domi
Knies/x/Nylander
Holmberg/Kampf/Lorentz

Matthews would get our 2 underperforming wingers going. Top 3 lines would be basically 1a/1b/1c with the right guy.

And until then, I’d like to see either Nylander or Marner given a try at centre. If Marner is strong enough on face-offs he could make a great two way centre.

 

[diceman934]

Notice how Berube plays Rielly less than his other top four dman. Bottom six is definitely devoid of scoring. They need to pick up a good two way 3C or have one of Marner or Nylander drive the third line.

Rielly still plays the most minutes of all D man.

Just an FYI
Marner is now the leading point getter on the team since he and mathews joined the team.

 

[Ports]

Rielly still plays the most minutes of all D man.

Just an FYI
Marner is now the leading point getter on the team since he and mathews joined the team

Rielly still plays the most minutes of all D man.

Just an FYI
Marner is now the leading point getter on the team since he and mathews joined the team.

For the season, McCabe is leading dman in TOI at 21:55 with Rielly and OEL basically tied at just over 21 minutes. Last night Rielly was third in dman TOI well behind McCabe and OEL.

 

[Antropovsky]

He is a talented player of course but as with all the core, it is all about the playoffs. Dont mean to burst the bubble after he had a strong game against the Oilers but they arent the Rangers or Florida, they aren't heavy.

History has shown that when the ice disappears, so do the core. Barring a miracle, does anyone want to be a fool for another year? The game is about winning a Cup.

Berube has him playing a deeper game than in the past, he is in on the forecheck and in the corners more. His vision, stick work and speed are fine, its his will in tight, physical games and his cap hit that is the problem. He isnt alone on this team. Here is hoping he and the team surprise me, I would love to be wrong. I hope he keeps it up, he has looked very confident and assertive lately.

Agreed, im seeing a rejuvinated Tavares turning back the clock this year (I always said Tavares was suffering in Keefes system).

As I said previously, Marner just ping pongs between Matthews and Tavares. He was tried without Tavares, while Matthews was hurt and he looked very bad.

Marner is working hard, but I still dont see a goal generator offensively. I see his linemates hitting and going to dirty areas, while Marner is still stick lifting and avoiding contact. Goal 1 was a team effort but hard not to give McMann and Tavares the chunk of the credit. Once playoffs roll around his soft play will stand out and look worse because the physical play is increased.

 

[Confucius]

From my understanding they were initially looking for 8.5x8 which Dubas wasn’t interested in. Once he signed Matthews the gap between the 8.5 and Matthews was too great and needed to be closer, rightfully so.

The problem potentially this time around could be the Nylander overpay.

Is William overpaid? 98 point season as good as Mitch has ever accomplished and William has back to back 40 goal seasons with a 3rd 40 goal season almost a given at this point.

 

[Smif]

Yup, a solid 3rd line C would do wonders.

McMann/Tavares/Marner
Robertson/Matthews/Domi
Knies/x/Nylander
Holmberg/Kampf/Lorentz

Matthews would get our 2 underperforming wingers going. Top 3 lines would be basically 1a/1b/1c with the right guy.

I've been touting Brock Nelson for a while for that spot, if not him NYI also has Palmieri as a UFA possibility. Nelson with his size beside Knies and Willy would be an absolute nightmare 3rd line for opposing teams.

 

[ACC1224]

Is William overpaid? 98 point season as good as Mitch has ever accomplished and William has back to back 40 goal seasons with a 3rd 40 goal season almost a given at this point.

I think so. Not enough points to overcome the one way play.

Marners best season was 97 in 72 games. Nylanders 98 in 82.

 

[WTFMAN99]

So I am a day late on this but here we go.

The OT last night was actually awesome for 2 reasons.


He was really smart at the beginning of the period that when they lost the face off, he dropped right back to basically our blue line so when the puck got passed off to McDavid for a rush chance to our net, he was able to harass McDavid enough to disrupt his chance.

They reloaded and got something of a 2 on 1 and Marner broke that up and went down the other way and scored the game winning goal.

Overall great job.

I went into what the ideal contract extension looks like in the trade/free agency main thread but doing something like 11.8M x 8 years = 94.4M

94.4M / 7 = 13.48M average

No team is giving Marner that contract.

Marner's family is here, wife/girlfriend is from here and Toronto is one of the few teams in the league that can load the hell out of it with signing bonuses.

Next up, Marner can maybe defer a bit of salary similar to Seth Jarvis or Jake McCabe just did.

If he can get it down to 11.25-11.5M actual cap hit with deferral, that's a mutually beneficial transaction, he's still getting his money but he gets the great PR.

Squeezing an extra 500k out of the team at this point would be foolish, I have to imagine the group just wants playoff success at this point but maybe I am being naive.

 

[Smif]

There was one play in the 2nd on the PK where he intercepted a McDavid pass took it down the ice, flipped a shot on net and went hard to the net to get a whistle, such a small and simple play but it pays major dividends in the end game results by killing over 25% of one PK.

Such an underrated defensive player.

 

[Kiwi]

Man has Marner stepped up since Matthews went down

No more of him and Matthews together, Mitch is to good to be constantly differing to Matthews

He needs his own line so he can continue driving play and results like he has been with Tavares

 

[keonsbitterness]

That's one of the best games I've ever seen him play.

 

[Zybalto]

Man has Marner stepped up since Matthews went down

No more of him and Matthews together, Mitch is to good to be constantly differing to Matthews

He needs his own line so he can continue driving play and results like he has been with Tavares

McMann/Tavares is arguably the best combo on the team since it was put together last year.

In their 213 minutes together without Marner:

Goals for/60: 3.69
Goals Against/60: 1.67

Now throw Marner into that mix and its:

Goals for/60: 5.34
Goals Against/60: 1.79

(in 65 minutes so far)

Such a shame McMann got hurt right before the playoffs. McMann/Nylander/Matthews and Woll all getting hurt last playoffs killed us.

 

[Kiwi]

McMann/Tavares is arguably the best combo on the team since it was put together last year.

In their 213 minutes together without Marner:

Goals for/60: 3.69
Goals Against/60: 1.67

Now throw Marner into that mix and its:

Goals for/60: 5.34
Goals Against/60: 1.79

(in 65 minutes so far)

Such a shame McMann got hurt right before the playoffs. McMann/Nylander/Matthews and Woll all getting hurt last playoffs killed us.

Yeah there's no way in hell I'd break up that line, Matthew's doesn't need Marner to do ok but Marner and McMann sure make Tavares bloody useful

 

[WTFMAN99]

Man has Marner stepped up since Matthews went down

No more of him and Matthews together, Mitch is to good to be constantly differing to Matthews

He needs his own line so he can continue driving play and results like he has been with Tavares

Yeah there's no way in hell I'd break up that line, Matthew's doesn't need Marner to do ok but Marner and McMann sure make Tavares bloody useful

Marner is more of a threat away from Matthews because he's not nearly as predictable.

I wouldn't even insert Matthews into PP1 upon his return, he gets PP2 with Domi, OEL, Patches and maybe whoever else we add at the TDL.

 

[Mr_Fun]

Yeah haven’t seen those for a bit now. Weird.

Nylander had his chances last night too, though. Hit the post on one.

He set up Reilly, wide open in the slot, for a high danger chance that by all rights, he should have potted. He didn't get any points but I thought WN was at least in the game most of the night.

 

[Zybalto]

I've been touting Brock Nelson for a while for that spot, if not him NYI also has Palmieri as a UFA possibility. Nelson with his size beside Knies and Willy would be an absolute nightmare 3rd line for opposing teams.

Malkin (50% retained for 2 years) for Cowen+Niemela+2026 1st?

If you feel like going for it for a couple of years?

He set up Reilly, wide open in the slot, for a high danger chance that by all rights, he should have potted. He didn't get any points but I thought WN was at least in the game most of the night.

Was that on the first PP? I just remember thinking how they did'nt score on that.

 

[Puckstuff]

Man has Marner stepped up since Matthews went down

No more of him and Matthews together, Mitch is to good to be constantly differing to Matthews

He needs his own line so he can continue driving play and results like he has been with Tavares

The leafs are legitimately worse when Matthews is in the lineup *and when our stars constantly differ to him*

The leafs are a good team when Matthews is out of the lineup and our star players are driving their own lines i.e what we’ve seen over the last few games.

The leafs will be an even better team team when our other star players are on different lines but Matthews is also in the line up away from them.

Run with three combos of Tavares-Marner, Nylander and Knies, and Matthews, Domi

For this specific team, having 3 elite lines is better then stacking the top 6

If our coach can understand this, our chances of winning in the playoffs rises substantially.

 

[Mr_Fun]

Malkin (50% retained for 2 years) for Cowen+Niemela+2026 1st?

If you feel like going for it for a couple of years?



Was that on the first PP? I just remember thinking how they did'nt score on that.

It was in the 1st period. I can't remember if it was a PP as I was watching some game highlights last night and that kind of stood out.

 

[leafs in five]

Agreed, im seeing a rejuvinated Tavares turning back the clock this year (I always said Tavares was suffering in Keefes system).

As I said previously, Marner just ping pongs between Matthews and Tavares. He was tried without Tavares, while Matthews was hurt and he looked very bad.

Marner is working hard, but I still dont see a goal generator offensively. I see his linemates hitting and going to dirty areas, while Marner is still stick lifting and avoiding contact. Goal 1 was a team effort but hard not to give McMann and Tavares the chunk of the credit. Once playoffs roll around his soft play will stand out and look worse because the physical play is increased.

 

[ACC1224]

That's one of the best games I've ever seen him play.

Surprised more hasn’t been mentioned on the play he made on the first goal.
One of those instances where the secondary assist is huge.