Will Mitch Marner become star?

[meefer]

We need that 2C to be around Malkin level and only Marner and Nylander are in a place where they can even recognize his name patch. We have terrible C depth if neither pan out. We would be reliant on a home run draft or FA we will have a tough time affording. Take your poison, this the reality. Kadri is getting older and will be the 3C for a little while

No we don't need a Malkin like C. It would be wonderful if we had that, but a requirement, no. Regardless, Nylander projects, IMO, in the direction that you're suggesting and I think he'll be a fine C in a couple of years. Why the urgency?

 

[thewave]

No we don't need a Malkin like C. It would be wonderful if we had that, but a requirement, no. Regardless, Nylander projects, IMO, in the direction that you're suggesting and I think he'll be a fine C in a couple of years. Why the urgency?

Nylander looks terrible defensively. He floats and gets confused to where he should be a lot. Marner just gives 0 you know what's and hustles his butt off if he screws up. That's good work ethic. Nylander will just coast if he screws up, a lot.

This goes back and forth as they progress but right now, Marner given more size and a better shot looks like the better candidate to be a C.

Nylander better smarten the heck up after the break.

 

[meefer]

Nylander looks terrible defensively. He floats and gets confused to where he should be a lot. Marner just gives 0 you know what's and hustles his butt off if he screws up. That's good work ethic. Nylander will just coast if he screws up, a lot.

This goes back and forth as they progress but right now, Marner given more size and a better shot looks like the better candidate to be a C.

Nylander better smarten the heck up after the break.

Could not disagree more with the Nylander comment. As a young player who is being played in different situations and different levels of competition, he's, IMO, offering some fine minutes vs his opposition. As to Marner being a potentially better C, perhaps he will be, but I've seen nothing, here or with the Knights, that suggests that is anything other than a pipe dream.

 

[stickty111]

As we saw yesterday, Bozak is holding Kadri back and in a big way. It doesnt matter because Marner is too good. Dont be surprised if he challanges Eichel for 2nd spot in the draft

 

[bunjay]

Nylander looks terrible defensively. He floats and gets confused to where he should be a lot. Marner just gives 0 you know what's and hustles his butt off if he screws up. That's good work ethic. Nylander will just coast if he screws up, a lot.

This goes back and forth as they progress but right now, Marner given more size and a better shot looks like the better candidate to be a C.

Nylander better smarten the heck up after the break.

Marner has done plenty of coasting in his own zone this season, he just disguises it better. Flybys with no real intent to engage, bailing on board battles, it's a big reason that the Bozak line has been spending so much time in their own zone. I'd be glad if this is all about the lingering effects of mono and that Marner's last 3 games are a better representation of how the rest of his season will go. But that doesn't erase a forgettable 25+ game stretch.

 

[thewave]

Marner has done plenty of coasting in his own zone this season, he just disguises it better. Flybys with no real intent to engage, bailing on board battles, it's a big reason that the Bozak line has been spending so much time in their own zone. I'd be glad if this is all about the lingering effects of mono and that Marner's last 3 games are a better representation of how the rest of his season will go. But that doesn't erase a forgettable 25+ game stretch.

However you slice it, these two are and should be in fierce competiton for who is the 2nd best Leaf.

 

[Mr Hockey]

We need that 2C to be around Malkin level and only Marner and Nylander are in a place where they can even recognize his name patch. We have terrible C depth if neither pan out. We would be reliant on a home run draft or FA we will have a tough time affording. Take your poison, this the reality. Kadri is getting older and will be the 3C for a little while

Kadri I am guessing will have an offensive upgrade on his left wing next season (no Leo). That Aaltonen kid is really starting to play good hockey at centre on the Marlies, he could possibly centre a #3 Marner line next season.

 

[Menzinger]

The Marner as centre idea I think to shipped off long ago. He wasn’t even a full time centre in juniors and hasn’t played the position in years at this point. He’s a winger, and a damn good one.

 

[Mess]

The Marner as centre idea I think to shipped off long ago. He wasn’t even a full time centre in juniors and hasn’t played the position in years at this point. He’s a winger, and a damn good one.

Hunter believed at time of draft that Marner could be transitioned into a centre in time, and even tried to do it in London with the team he owns.

He realizes like many do that top 6 centres and/or top pairing Dmen are what everyone covets as key building block positions and are hard to acquire unless you draft and develop them yourself.

With a top 5 pick in a strong draft that was top heavy in Centres and Dmen Hunter rolled the dice on his boy Marner. Had Lou Lam been calling the shots it would remain to be seen if the pick wouldn't have been picking among the 3 top pairing Dmen on the board (Hanifin, Provorov and Werenski) and siding with his coach's request and building from the goalie out.

Hunter delivered an exciting playmaking winger, but has been bailed out by Leafs bottoming out and landing their #1C the following year, so the Marner pick goes from being a primary to secondary team building block as everything now will revolve around Auston carrying the teams fortunes.

For the Leafs to get the most out of the Marner selection and what level of "star player" he might become just might come down to how much the two pals Auston and Mitch can play off each other with the ideal outcome Marner riding shotgun on RW on the top line beside Auston, which is something the coach has not been too much in favour of, and preferring to play Nylander there instead.

So if Leafs plans are XXXX - Matthews -- Nylander as the top line what becomes of Mitch and who does he play with in the big picture long-term.

 

[bunjay]

However you slice it, these two are and should be in fierce competiton for who is the 2nd best Leaf.

2nd best leaf forward maybe, I think Reilly has finally made his case. But I like your thinking, some healthy competition can only be a good thing. And I do think it's close between Marner and Nylander right now.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

We could afford J.T and should definitely sign him to term and money if he wants to come to us!

You don't even think twice about it.

 

[Mr Hockey]

JT decided to light the league up this year, it going to cost too much now 9-10-11-12 mil AAV?

 

[Wafflewhipper]

JT decided to light the league up this year, it going to cost too much now 9-10-11-12 mil AAV?

So..... we will have lots of money for Tavares, Matthews,Willy and Marner. Thats your top 2 lines centers and right wingers. Do the math at Tavares and Matthews at the max and Willy and Marner @ $6,000,000 each.

Andersen is signed
Kadri is signed
Rielly is signed
Zaitsev is signed

Thats a solid core eight with a #1 goaltender, 2 solid defensemen and the best center depth the franchise has ever seen pre-cap or cap era.

The system feeds the other positions and Marleau and Hainsey and the Borg look like very good players already in place also.

Kapanen might as well be penciled in on one of them top two lines also i believe.

Thats how center concerns can go away very quickly. Not only that but you might wven be a cup contender for multiple years in a row instantly.

There is lots of prospects on the cheap to go for it starting next season.

I think we are in great shape regardless of signing J.T but getting him would be the making of something possibly special.

 

[stickty111]

Picking his boy Marner is working out really for Hunter.
Lets hope continues to do a great job.

 

[LeafFever]

If this organization can't convert Marner or Nylander into a legit and viable C, that will be a full stop failure of this organization. Our whole future hinges on Marner or Nylander becoming the #2 elite C. Nothing we have in the pipe offers what we need to compete once Kadri and Bozak are done.

Kadri is a 30 goal/60 point 2 way #2 C on a fantastic contract for 5 more years. why the drama? Our future does not hinge on either becoming the #2 C.

 

[DarkKnight]

Nylander looks terrible defensively. He floats and gets confused to where he should be a lot. Marner just gives 0 you know what's and hustles his butt off if he screws up. That's good work ethic. Nylander will just coast if he screws up, a lot.

This goes back and forth as they progress but right now, Marner given more size and a better shot looks like the better candidate to be a C.

Nylander better smarten the heck up after the break.

The timing of this complaint is strange, considering Nylander just came off his best stretch of defensive play this year the last few games. I was actually pleasantly surprised how well he back checked, battled, when at center. I believe the coach noted this as well, given he put Nylander out to win a draw in our end, in the dying seconds, to preserve a win. Nylander's tendency to float this year has been frustrating, but I would have made that point a couple weeks ago, lately the reverse is true, and its been great to see. Pick your spots dude.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Kadri I am guessing will have an offensive upgrade on his left wing next season (no Leo). That Aaltonen kid is really starting to play good hockey at centre on the Marlies, he could possibly centre a #3 Marner line next season.

He was fantastic in the pre season. I really thought he'd be our #4 C this season. He'll be up next season for sure I think.

 

[Mess]

Are Nylander and Marner cannibalizing each others offensive opportunities and potential?.

It seems the coveted offenisive RW spot is the one beside Matthews and its only 1 opening.

Right now Willie is the #1Rw and Marner the #3RW.

When Willie possesses it Marner is a 3rd line RW on the depth chart, and if the Leafs convert Willie to centre then he becomes a 3rd line C, playing behind Matthews and Kadri, allowing Marner to play alongside Auston as 1st line RWer instead.

Pick your poison here as to who is a top line player and who is your catalyst driving offense from the 3rd line? Very different TOI/g and opportunity with those choices.

Seems Marner's fate and future potential "status" is tied to Nylander in some way.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Are Nylander and Marner cannibalizing each others offensive opportunities and potential?.

It seems the coveted offenisive RW spot is the one beside Matthews and its only 1 opening.

Right now Willie is the #1Rw and Marner the #3RW.

When Willie possesses it Marner is a 3rd line RW on the depth chart, and if the Leafs convert Willie to centre then he becomes a 3rd line C, playing behind Matthews and Kadri, allowing Marner to play alongside Auston as 1st line RWer instead.

Pick your poison here as to who is a top line player and who is your catalyst driving offense from the 3rd line? Very different TOI/g and opportunity with those choices.

Seems Marner's fate and future potential "status" is tied to Nylander in some way.

Babs works in mysterious ways at times. Ya just know that Marners line is not trusted defensively. We all know that i believe. Marner is not a defensive problem himself and could play on the Kadri shut down line.

Babs calculates all this and derived that Marner will drive the offense on the third line and help defensively, spread out the depth and thats the hand he is dealt.

Willy,HYman and Matthews have great chemistry. It is more lack of a trade causing difficulty right now. Case in point being Kapanen not playing full time.

Kappy could be full time with Kadri and Marleau could center Jvr and mitch if Bozak was moved.

Moving bozak soon?

 

[Beyonder91]

Are Nylander and Marner cannibalizing each others offensive opportunities and potential?.

It seems the coveted offenisive RW spot is the one beside Matthews and its only 1 opening.

Right now Willie is the #1Rw and Marner the #3RW.

When Willie possesses it Marner is a 3rd line RW on the depth chart, and if the Leafs convert Willie to centre then he becomes a 3rd line C, playing behind Matthews and Kadri, allowing Marner to play alongside Auston as 1st line RWer instead.

Pick your poison here as to who is a top line player and who is your catalyst driving offense from the 3rd line? Very different TOI/g and opportunity with those choices.

Seems Marner's fate and future potential "status" is tied to Nylander in some way.

I think you are looking at it wrong by saying that Marner is the #3 RW on the depth chart. Babcock has said he has Marner and Matthews separated so they can each power a line which explains exactly why Marner is where he is. It has nothing to do with depth charts.

 

[Mess]

I think you are looking at it wrong by saying that Marner is the #3 RW on the depth chart. Babcock has said he has Marner and Matthews separated so they can each power a line which explains exactly why Marner is where he is. It has nothing to do with depth charts.

Just follow the Average Time on per game and it tells you who is #1, #2 and #3 lines based on minutes played.

Auston Matthews............ 18:35
Zach Hyman....................... 17:31
William Nylander ........... 16:25
--------------------------------------
Patrick Marleau ............ 17:00
Leo Komarov .................. 16:35
Nazem Kadri .................. 16:33
--------------------------------------
Mitch Marner .................... 15:35
Tyler Bozak........................ 15:03
James van Riemsdyk.... 14:24
--------------------------------------
Utility forward
Connor Brown .............15:25

PS: The only reason teh Bozak 3rd line is even this close in ATOI is because they remain the #1PP unit and get 1-1:30 of each PP.. Once Matthews line becomes #1PP unit than the icetime of Marner and 3rd line would decline even more..

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Just follow the Average Time on per game and it tells you who is #1, #2 and #3 lines based on minutes played.

Auston Matthews............ 18:35
Zach Hyman....................... 17:31
William Nylander ........... 16:25
--------------------------------------
Patrick Marleau ............ 17:00
Leo Komarov .................. 16:35
Nazem Kadri .................. 16:33
--------------------------------------
Mitch Marner .................... 15:35
Tyler Bozak........................ 15:03
James van Riemsdyk.... 14:24
--------------------------------------
Utility forward
Connor Brown .............15:25

Thats the way it goes considering jvr and bozak can't play defense very well. Marner drives their offense.

 

[Menzinger]

I Think folks get too caught up in 1-3 line designations, Babcock keeps a fluid system where player changes every game.

I mean when Nylander and Brown were in the “4th” line on the depth chart earlier in the season they often got 15+ min of icetime

 

[Lightsol]

Babs works in mysterious ways at times. Ya just know that Marners line is not trusted defensively. We all know that i believe. Marner is not a defensive problem himself and could play on the Kadri shut down line.

But playing Marner with Kadri would neuter Marner's offense quite a bit. There's a reason wingers playing with Kadri are either offensiveless (Komarov) or have people asking why they don't seem to be playing as good offensively (Marleau)...

 

[Apotheosis]

We need that 2C to be around Malkin level and only Marner and Nylander are in a place where they can even recognize his name patch. We have terrible C depth if neither pan out. We would be reliant on a home run draft or FA we will have a tough time affording. Take your poison, this the reality. Kadri is getting older and will be the 3C for a little while

I mean, compare it this way.

Marner's ceiling = Patrick Kane

Matthews is his own monster although I see a Malkin 08-09 peak in him.

Nylander's ceiling = Backstrom

That's two consistent 80-90 point guys (both hitting 100 points in certain years) and one player who is a threat for 90-100 points every season. Relatively speaking, if they hit their ceilings, which they should, then it's EXTREMELY comparable to that of the Crosby-Malkin led Penguins. Marner potentially playing with Matthews = potential 100 point Marner as well.

What we need is not what you said, but to stop endlessly playing plugs like Hyman and Komarov so much and play the skill guys more, as well as play Kapanen/Leivo/anyone on the Marlies who has proven themselves in the AHL.