Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitchell Marner Brings More Than Skill
When the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Mitchell Marner fourth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, I was ecstatic.
I thought to myself, the Toronto Maple Leafs just drafted one of the highest skilled players in recent years memory.
Let’s flash forward a couple years and now I think of him as more than just a skilled player.
Yes, he has an undeniable raw talent that’s hard to come by, but that’s not the only thing he brings to the team.
Marner is a joy to watch on or off the ice, plain and simple.
I remember sitting in the Budweiser Gardens, home of the London Knights, in December 2015, dressed to the nines with a resume in hand (never mind you what the job was for).
In walks a few players and then wouldn’t you know it, Marner walks in, gives me a head nod and keeps on going.
There’s no real point to that short story, I just felt like sharing it.
Okay, now I’m going to tell you what else he brings to the team.
Intangibles
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Yes to skill and talent, that’s obvious.
What I’m talking about here is the intangibles, which is probably my second favorite word associated with hockey right after grit.
- Determination
- Enthusiasm
- Fun
- Leadership
- Unity
Look, I even alphabetized my listicle for you.
What a nice guy I am.
Sorry, my niece is visiting this week and in the spirit of hanging out with a three-year-old, one’s mind tends to venture back to the basics.
Explanation
He’s one of the most determined hockey players I’ve ever seen play the game and if you want proof, look no further.
Enthusiasm, I remember seeing him singing along to a certain Bon Jovi song on the bench and dancing his way into the dressing room one time.
Those are just two examples of countless ones out there, but it leads perfectly into what’s next on the list.
Fun.
Marner looks like he’s having the most fun in whatever it is he’s doing and if you don’t think that correlates into the team, then I just don’t know anymore.
He’s a natural leader, a prime example of a professional young man, maybe even a contender for the vacant captaincy.
I realize he wasn’t one of my original options, but his name is officially on the ballot now.
Lastly, Marner brings unity to the team in a big way.
That’s obviously not accomplished all by himself because it takes a team to have unity, but he plays a major role.
I’d credit Matt Martin to some of that as well, not to mention countless of others.
Now, those are just a few of my examples, but I want to read yours, so lay them on me.
What else does Marner bring to the team?
I’ll try and monitor the comments section, but I’ll be up north cottaging, so we’ll see how that plays out.