Toronto Maple Leafs: Magic Marner
The Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner is a kid on a quest to prove people wrong.
Mitch Marner has become known as Magic Marner because of his ability to dipsy-doodle with the puck. Known to myself that is. He weaves in and out of danger and that’s how he survives in the NHL.
Marner is a special player, playing in the best hockey league in the world as if he was still in the realm of the London Knights in the OHL. Side note: realm, Knights. Not too shabby, Andrew.
Mitchell Marner
I remember sitting in the lobby of Budweiser Gardens in December 2015 waiting for an
interview with the marketing director of the team. I was dressed to the nines, resume in hand and ready to have a go with my favorite OHL team. Que the players. Some walked in alone, others in groups of two or three. They were all focused on the task at hand. Young but professionals. Some time went by and in walks Marner. He looks over at me and nods his head as he walked by.
There’s a reason why I’m sharing this story with you. In the brief moment that I was in his presence, I noticed one thing. His frame. Now, I’m not a large guy. I stand about 6ft tall and weigh roughly 170lbs. That’s literally the same size as Marner is and like I said, I’m not large. That was the first time I thought that his size might be a conflict he would face in today’s NHL.
I contested that thought for some time. NHL players come in all size and shapes I would say to myself. Take Martin St. Louis, Mats Zuccarello or Johnny Gaudreau as time-tested examples of players who are small in stature but have elite playing abilities. That’s when I thought that Marner’s size wouldn’t be a hindrance to him in the NHL. At the very least, it wouldn’t deny him entry into the league.
A point of reference: he’s not afraid to get physical if he has to. Now, I know he would have never won this matchup. (See above). It wasn’t even about fighting in the first place. Just protecting his teammate. Good for him though, for taking a stab at things. Body size doesn’t say it all. If you’ve got heart like Mitch Marner, you instinctively have a will to play whatever game is necessary to survive. After all, it’s survival of the fittest when it comes to the NHL.
A Closer Look
Mitch Marner brings an exciting element to the game of hockey, one that hasn’t been seen in Toronto for quite some time. He possesses a unique skill set that few players have. Incorporating raw talent, speed and hockey IQ are a few of the things he brings to a game, similar to that of Patrick Kane. He plays as if he was still with the Knights in the OHL. Get that, an NHL player playing like he was still in juniors. That’s how good this kid is.
Here’s a clip where Mitch Marner showcases his speed and drive to score. That patience he shows when he’s in tight on Robin Lehner is not something every rookie has in his arsenal. He has the patience of a seasoned veteran. Again, he’s a rookie. I know he technically didn’t complete the wrap around, but just the fact that he knew to throw the puck on the net is proving how high is hockey IQ is.
Jeff’s Back… Again, I agree
He said the magic word. It’s true, though. You’d think a player is as good as the stick he’s holding. After all, not carrying a stick as a hockey player is a pretty sure fire way of not playing hockey. For most players, that would be a true statement. Apparently, Mitch Marner can still make plays without his stick. Notice he tossed his body around there too? If you’ve got half the drive he has in anything you do, you will go far in life.
Okay, this one isn’t even fair. Super Marner? I’m just realizing that would have made a pretty good title to compete with Magic Marner. Seriously, is this even fair? He’s falling down with the goal in mind to chip the puck up over the opposing players to his linemate who skates in for a breakaway. Just a brilliant play by a brilliant player. It’s as simple as that. If you give a player like him time and space, he will use it and use it effectively.
Don’t count him out of Calder contention. Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine make it a long-shot. It’s not impossible, however. Especially after sustaining an injury that saw him in the press box for a few games. But, Marner has proved to everyone that he is an elite offensive threat in this league and will continue to be one for many years to come. When all is said and done, we can only refer to him as Magic Marner.