What wrong with "Mitch'in" Marner?

[Lt Dan]

This guy could be the second coming of Doug gilmour

He could be even better, but he’s scared of physicality

Gilmour had Shane Falco levels of heart.
All Marner has is a bad haircut

 

[Juxta Position]

Considering he had a high ankle sprain which takes a couple of months to recover. It makes sense to avoid contact.

Judging by his skating he’s still suffering from the ankle injury

I wouldn’t risk further injury and ruin an ankle and career for a Team with a horrible goaltender and crappy defence.

Draisaitl put up 17 points in 5 games against the Flames on a high ankle sprain...just sayin.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Mitch wants to go hang out with his buddy Brady in Ottawa.

 

[OldCraig71]

How many games did Ovechkin play until he won his cup ?

Are you asking me this because you believe that Matthews and Marner will eventually win one if they play long enough? Surely you aren't comparing the style played by Ovechkin to either one of those guys. I mean, yeah, hockey is a team game but you have to expect that the players paid to lead the team are the ones that impact the outcome.

 

[Juxta Position]

Matthews is the golden boy in Toronto.

Everyone is getting on poor little Mitchey but he has a slightly better career ppg average than Matthews. .90 for Marner, .89 for Matthews....yet no one is ready to run Matthews out of town.

It's like the Leafs fans just can't bring themsleves to admit that Matthews is not a big game player when he's supposed to be Toronto's far and away best player, so they turn on Marner. Even though relative to their "star" status in the league, Marner has performed much better.

 

[Frank Drebin]

marner should take a cycle and get rid of that boyish frame. Hes built like a grade 5 teacher

 

[AvroArrow]

Are you asking me this because you believe that Matthews and Marner will eventually win one if they play long enough? Surely you aren't comparing the style played by Ovechkin to either one of those guys. I mean, yeah, hockey is a team game but you have to expect that the players paid to lead the team are the ones that impact the outcome.

No, i'm showing how flawed that logic is. You said they played 500 games and are 26 and have proven they can't show up when it matters. I'm not even debating that, just asking you, how many games did Ovechkin play until he proved he can show up when it matters ? 1000?

Not comparing playing styles at all, not sure why you would even ask that ?

You said they played 500 games played, insinuating you've seen enough, to make a claim that they don't show up when it matters.

I'm just asking, how many games did he play? Ovechkin played what 1000 games ? Before he "showed up when it matters" and how old was he, before he finally showed up?

Again, so you don't try and deflect, not comparing play styles, just the argument that you're presenting, which is, games played + age = enough to determine whether or not a player will ever show up when it matters

Surely you realize now how flawed and silly that argument is right ?

 

[HockeyVirus]

No, i'm showing how flawed that logic is. You said they played 500 games and are 26 and have proven they can't show up when it matters. I'm not even debating that, just asking you, how many games did Ovechkin play until he proved he can show up when it matters ? 1000?

Not comparing playing styles at all, not sure why you would even ask that ?

You said they played 500 games played, insinuating you've seen enough, to make a claim that they don't show up when it matters.

I'm just asking, how many games did he play? Ovechkin played what 1000 games ? Before he "showed up when it matters" and how old was he, before he finally showed up?

Again, so you don't try and deflect, not comparing play styles, just the argument that you're presenting, which is, games played + age = enough to determine whether or not a player will ever show up when it matters

Surely you realize now how flawed and silly that argument is right ?

It's honestly not worth the energy arguing with people who think Matthews plays the same way as Marner. Sure, I'll buy that Matthews hasn't put the team on his back either but that isn't the problem Leaf fans have with Marner. Matthews always engages physically and tries his ass off. Same with Tavares (who simply lacks ability at this stage).

I would also say, Matthews vanishing probably has a lot to do with Marner being on his wing. Hard to have any impact when your winger is a p***y.

And anyone trying to spin the narrative he is weak for not playing through whatever when they have no idea what it even is and don't understand the concept of liability (where a Dr needs to sign off on players being able to play so they don't drop dead) is also not worth the time. They have a narrative and don't care about facts.

 

[Captain97]

The Leafs aren't a soft team.

Mentally and/or psychologically, maybe they are. But physically, they really aren't.

NHL Team Hits Per Game 2023-2024 | StatMuse

The Montreal Canadiens averaged 22.22 hits per game in 2023-24.

www.statmuse.com

Their best players can be thrown off their games when the physicality ramps up, though.

I don't think the leafs team is soft but all 5 of their star players are fairly soft

Matthews, Marner, JT, Nylander, Rielly. None are overly physical and that's the issue. You shouldn't have more than 2 maybe 3 players like this. Having 4 is definitely not a recipe for success c9me playoff time

 

[Score08]

This isn’t a Mitch problem, this is leafs management problem. They put the wrong guys together. Time to dump the good ole boy network up in leaf land and bring real talent evaluators that can be build a proper team.

 

[Ararana]

"We can and we will!"

 

[Craig Button]

Draisaitl put up 17 points in 5 games against the Flames on a high ankle sprain...just sayin.

1. The flames suck

2. Not all sprains take a long time to heal

Some can take a week or two and some can take a few months.

 

[OldCraig71]

No, i'm showing how flawed that logic is. You said they played 500 games and are 26 and have proven they can't show up when it matters. I'm not even debating that, just asking you, how many games did Ovechkin play until he proved he can show up when it matters ? 1000?

Not comparing playing styles at all, not sure why you would even ask that ?

You said they played 500 games played, insinuating you've seen enough, to make a claim that they don't show up when it matters.

I'm just asking, how many games did he play? Ovechkin played what 1000 games ? Before he "showed up when it matters" and how old was he, before he finally showed up?

Again, so you don't try and deflect, not comparing play styles, just the argument that you're presenting, which is, games played + age = enough to determine whether or not a player will ever show up when it matters

Surely you realize now how flawed and silly that argument is right ?

What I have seen from the Leafs core 4 up until now leads me to believe they are what they are. Unless they make drastic changes stylistically they won't win in the playoffs. I haven't seen them rise to the occasion when the going gets tough. You chose Ovechkin, I didn't. You could have also chosen Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

 

[AvroArrow]

What I have seen from the Leafs core 4 up until now leads me to believe they are what they are. Unless they make drastic changes stylistically they won't win in the playoffs. I haven't seen them rise to the occasion when the going gets tough. You chose Ovechkin, I didn't. You could have also chosen Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

Right, to show you how flawed your logic is that, games played + age = absolute conclusion.

 

[TheNumber4]

I feel sorry for Mitch. Home town kid will all the skill in the world that wants to do good by the team he had a pajamas for as a kid. But him and his Dad have been put through the wringer in Toronto by the fans and media. What once was a dream, is now a nightmare for him.

I can only take solace in the fact that McDavid avoided such a dire fate.

 

[Juxta Position]

1. The flames suck

2. Not all sprains take a long time to heal

Some can take a week or two and some can take a few months.

good thing you mentioned the flames suck because I forgot about all the other players that put up an NHL RECORD 17 points in 5 games against the western conference leading flames.


Absolutely zero high ankle sprains heal in a week or two....if it only takes a week or two to heal, that's a contusion not a sprain. Draisaitl had a DIAGNOSED high ankle sprain which usually takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal enough to play on it, and another 2-4 weeks to be back to normal function, but can often take longer.

So thanks for your entirely wrong diagnosis doctor.

 

[OldCraig71]

Right, to show you how flawed your logic is that, games played + age = absolute conclusion.

Okay, you win, they just need more time to figure it out.

 

[AvroArrow]

Okay, you win, they just need more time to figure it out.

Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Coming to a conclusion now, at age 26 isn't it though.

 

[The Management]

Matthews is absolutely getting his fair share of heat from Leafs fans, so is John Tavares, who has been the topic of criticism ever since that contract was signed. Nothing about this roster is particularly likeable right now.

But it shouldn't be hard to identify why it's Marner that is getting increased time under the heat lamp. Tavares is 33, coming down to the tail end of his deal (where the expectations were always going to be more modest), and while he's slow, and generally ineffective as a leader, he does go to the hard areas of the ice pretty consistently. Matthews does as well, when he actually commits to the play, but he can also be inconsistent. Nylander doesn't get a pass, either, but he does seem to play with a bit more hustle in the postseason, for all the good that has done them.

Marner sticks to the perimeter, and when the ice gets smaller, and he finds that he cannot just thread a pass through the slot. Then he starts to make both forced and unforced errors. As the frustration grows, the worse it gets. And boy does he get frustrated. He's also the only part of the core without a new contract. If you're in the camp that Toronto has to shake up their identity by moving out a big piece, part of the so-called core, that the existing formula just does not work and will never work, then it's easy to see why Marner gets the lion's share of the attention when the team comes up short, again, in the postseason.

 

[OldCraig71]

Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Coming to a conclusion now, at age 26 isn't it though.

They might win but not as a group in Toronto unless they are willing to play differently in the playoffs and what I have seen from them isn't promising.

 

[LTIR]

Matthews is absolutely getting his fair share of heat from Leafs fans, so is John Tavares, who has been the topic of criticism ever since that contract was signed. Nothing about this roster is particularly likeable right now.

But it shouldn't be hard to identify why it's Marner that is getting increased time under the heat lamp. Tavares is 33, coming down to the tail end of his deal (where the expectations were always going to be more modest), and while he's slow, and generally ineffective as a leader, he does go to the hard areas of the ice pretty consistently. Matthews does as well, when he actually commits to the play, but he can also be inconsistent. Nylander doesn't get a pass, either, but he does seem to play with a bit more hustle in the postseason, for all the good that has done them.

Marner sticks to the perimeter, and when the ice gets smaller, and he finds that he cannot just thread a pass through the slot. Then he starts to make both forced and unforced errors. As the frustration grows, the worse it gets. And boy does he get frustrated. He's also the only part of the core without a new contract. If you're in the camp that Toronto has to shake up their identity by moving out a big piece, part of the so-called core, that the existing formula just does not work and will never work, then it's easy to see why Marner gets the lion's share of the attention when the team comes up short, again, in the postseason.

TML to me have the same type of forwards all around. Should have kept both ROR and Lafferty after giving up 1sts+ for them. ROR > Tavares, Domi, Bert or whoever they have picked up since.

Imagine no JT and guys like Hyman, ROR and Lafferty still around. Skill alone doesnt win championship and guys like Marner get neutralized in playoffs checking games.

 

[sr edler]

To be fair that's a 14 year-old kid arguing with his dad.

He's 14 in that clip? He looks like he's 9 or 10.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

They might win but not as a group in Toronto unless they are willing to play differently in the playoffs and what I have seen from them isn't promising.

Agreed. I think Matthews and Marner have both been equally bad but realistically you’re only going to get rid of one of them and it ain’t your franchise center who has 3 Rockets. You have to pray he can figure it out at some point
Marner is the guy that takes the fall here imo.

 

[Strangle]

Is he really scared though or is a 26 year old that has like $50M+ in the bank and doesn't want CTE or some other physical disability when he retires. I'd play it the same way if my boss was foolish enough to give me money up front in my career.

I’ll tell you something he doesn’t want:

A f***ing Stanley cup

 

[Strangle]

Of course he is a major issue. People make it sound like he's the major issue though, when the problem is shared with all his teammates. Matthews is a much better player, yet disappears in the playoffs and is not taking any critique for it, just because he's Matthews. Marner, however. As soon as the playoffs comes around, he's run out of town. Just a terrible fanbase from start to finish.

Leaf fans aren’t interested in who the players on the ice are, only that they are as invested in winning a cup as we are.

I’m not attached to any of these guys, I like some more than others, but there isn’t a guy besides Matthews who I wouldn’t walk away from if I thought it would make the team better.

If that’s a terrible fanbase, I’ll wear it proudly. It’s not about Marner, it’s about winning. Marner isn’t a winner.

Tavares isn’t either, Matthews isn’t, Samsonov surely isn’t. Has Nylander won anything?

Ship em all, I don’t care. I want a cup, not a buggy feely relationship with these players, I could care less

They’ll all be long retired and I’ll still be here cheering, just as I have been for the last 40 years, before this iteration of the team was even born