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Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner Proving Size Doesn’t Matter

By Ryan Ritchie

Oct 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) controls the puck against the Montreal Canadiens during a preseason hockey game at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Canadiens 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) controls the puck against the Montreal Canadiens during a preseason hockey game at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Canadiens 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner Scored His First NHL Goal on Saturday Night. Size Was Thought to be a Concern, But the Slippery, Elusive Forward is Proving Difficult to Contain

Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner recorded his first NHL goal on Saturday night in a 4-1 win against Boston. He was kept off the score sheet in the season opener when Auston Matthews made history with four goals, but Marner was still very noticeable. Mitch was stopped by Craig Anderson on an early breakaway and hit a crossbar, all in the first period.

He looked a little more comfortable in game two on Saturday, a theme that will likely continue for many of these younger players as they settle in. His first goal was a memorable one with family in attendance, but unfortunately, his mother was in the washroom at the time. (video of goal below)

Time to Embrace the Small Man’s Game

The big debate all summer-long was whether or not Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner could compete at 5’11 164lbs. When are experts/fans going to learn the NHL is changing; this is no longer a big man’s game.

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The top players are guys like Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau, heck we’ve even got Ryan Ellis manning the Preds blue line at 5’10 180lbs. It’s about time we stop doubting these smaller guys. The junior ranks might contain a lower level of talent, but they’ve got plenty of NHL-sized bodies down there.

Smaller kids are still being overlooked even at the minor levels, with AAA programs still overvaluing height/weight. It’s a problem that has plagued the hockey world for as long as I can remember. There’s this notion in the old school mind that a player needs to be around 6’0 200lbs to have a shot at the NHL. That dinosaur mindset needs to disappear.

Teams Need Time to Adjust

To be fair, we’re only two games into a new season. Teams are still implementing new systems/structure and things are a little hectic at the moment. It tends to happen this way every year, as fans are tricked into believing it might finally be the year when goal-scoring rises.

Oct 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) celebrates with team mates after scoring his first career NHL goal against Boston Bruins in the first period at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) celebrates with team mates after scoring his first career NHL goal against Boston Bruins in the first period at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

As teams get better defensively, they’ll also gain more knowledge on these newer players. Rookies tend to flourish for a while, then opponents begin to put together a video library to recognize tendencies and strengths/weaknesses. That’s where things get interesting because the great players can find ways to adjust and add an element of unpredictability to their game.

Based on his skill set and strengths, there’s nothing that would lead one to believe that Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner will have any problems making in-season adjustments. After all, how do you contain someone you can’t a hold of?

Good Early Signs

As advertised (and seen on numerous occasions during his time in London), Marner is a slippery, elusive forward that is difficult to defend. Most importantly though, he brings an element of creativity that Toronto was missing in 2015-16 (before the late call-ups). Marner has the ability to create space for both himself and teammates with quick feet. Smaller guys can turn it from 0 rpm to redline in an instant which allows them to get to top speed in a hurry.

Perhaps the most encouraging sing of all though, similar to the other small-statured stars in the NHL (i.e. Tyler Johnson, Johnny Gaudreau, etc.), Marner is as slippery as butter out there. Guys such as Johnson, Gaudreau, Kane, and Panarin are highly successful because of that element. If Marner was out there getting bounced around like a pinball (similar to a Mikhail Grabovski-type), there might be cause for concern.

Future Outlook

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There’s zero chance the Maple Leafs send Mitch Marner back to London. Based on his training camp and first two games of the season, it’s safe to say that Marner is here to stay.

Similar to Matthews, Marner should be able to earn extra ice-time as the year goes on. Mike Babcock and the Leafs organization just want to be careful with these kids and force them to earn their keep.

Matthews will do it with strong positional play, and could emerge as the Leafs top center. Marner on the other hand, he’ll earn extra minutes because of his consistent work ethic. Babcock expects his players to show up every night, and that’s exactly what Mitch brings to the table. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s an absolute menace in the offensive zone pulling the opposition out of position, constantly creating quality scoring chances on a regular basis.

Next: NHL Power Rankings: Week 1

Fans in Toronto should be very excited about what the future has in store. In fact, this is bittersweet karmic redemption for years of being at the butt-end of every hockey joke. It’ll be sweet justice for Leafs fans when they’re the last ones laughing.

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