The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to have one of the best offensive cores in recent memory.
When the 2018-19 season finally gets underway, it wouldn’t be a shock to predict that the Toronto Maple Leafs will boast one of the best offensive lineups in the NHL.
Given they already have star talent in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Nazem Kadri, it already looked like a lethal core of scoring prowess. Then they went and signed John Tavares in free agency, which makes their already stacked offensive even more deadly.
Of all of the players mentioned above, Marner has really stood out so far in the preseason and has already made a big impact. While it is the preseason, Marner has consistently had multi-point games, which makes it entirely plausible he will go on to have a strong season, especially with his contract extension looming.
Let’s take a look at how Marner has done in the preseason thus far.
Promising sample size
In just three games played, it seems Marner has really taken his game to a whole other level. Despite the limited sample size, he has easily been the Leafs’ best player so far.
At the time of writing, Marner has recorded 2 goals, 6 assists, and 8 points so far as per CBS Sports. Given how strong he has looked, that number is sure to increase in the days ahead.
It’s no surprise, too, if you have watched his game closely, as he has been heavily involved in all areas of the ice and on both special teams. This was especially evident during the game against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night in which he recorded a four-point game.
One play that really stands out was on the shift leading up to the goal scored by Patrick Marleau. As the clip from @junotheleafs shows, Marner makes four incredible plays within a span of 30 seconds, including a great pass to Trevor Moore that nearly went in.
Speaking of incredible, the Tavares and Marner connection has worked well so far this preseason. As per Natural Stat Trick, the two have made a mostly positive impact on the Leafs’ offence and there is still more room to grow given the chemistry is just starting to build.
Regardless of how this season plays out, the duo of Tavares and Marner will be fun to watch, especially when in the offensive zone. As this goal from a game against the Ottawa Senators showcases, the league will be in for a tough time defending that line.
Simply put, Marner has been lights out in his three preseason games, so the question now is can he keep this up during the regular season?
Signs of a breakout
Last season saw Marner improve on his numbers from his rookie campaign and he has the chance to surpass them in 2018-19 given the circumstances he’s heading into.
He recorded 22 goals, 47 assists, and 69 points to lead the Leafs in scoring. He also recorded 27 power play points (8 goals, 19 assists), a 52.9 Corsi-for% (5v5), a 5.7 OPS, and was on the ice for 41 GF/60.
As mentioned, Marner is projected to spend much of this coming season alongside Tavares, which has beenworking well so far. Considering Tavares himself is coming off of a strong offensive campaign, it wouldn’t be a shock to see these two quickly become a lethal force.
Add to the equation the fact that Marner will be getting penalty killing duties as per Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, which presents him an opportunity to develop his all-around game further and bring it to new heights. As seen from his goal during the game against the Canadiens, he can be a threat while shorthanded as well.
With one year remaining on his entry-level contract as per CapFriendly, he is extra motivated to get a large pay increase next offseason. While the sample size is small, at this rate he may get his wish.
So the Leafs have themselves a player who is fresh off a strong season offensively, is going to play with Tavares each night, and has looked unstoppable in the preseason thus far. Put it all together and that makes for a player who appears destined for big things this season.
All I can say is good luck to the rest of the NHL trying to contain Marner this year.
Thanks for reading!
All stats unless otherwise noted are from Hockey-Reference.com.