The Maple Leafs will head down to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. This will be the first time the Leafs will face off against their former superstar. Mitch Marner played nine seasons with the Maple Leafs before being dealt to the Golden Knights this summer in exchange for Nicolas Roy. The Maple Leafs have had a rough first half of the season, but it is not believed to be because of Marner's absence.
Life without Mitch Marner in Toronto
The Maple Leafs currently sit in the final Wild Card spot, but have played much better hockey lately, while the Golden Knights sit atop the Pacific Division with 54 points. Mitch Marner has had a good season with the Golden Knights, hovering around a point per game; he is on pace for his worst season since the 2017-18 season. The Golden Knights, however, play a much different style of hockey, as stars do not produce as many points as the Maple Leafs stars do. Vegas is more balanced throughout their lineup and will get contributions throughout their roster. At the beginning of the season, many pointed out the Maple Leafs struggles due to Marner's absence, but the Leafs recent play would dictate otherwise.
The Maple Leafs got back into a playoff spot since early November on Monday night when they defeated the Colorado Avalanche in a thrilling overtime matchup. The Leafs' offence has been strong since the start of the season; their struggles were due to their defensive play. Marner was a strong defensive forward for the Maple Leafs. During his final campaign with the Leafs, he was voted for the Selke Trophy but just fell short. His presence on the penalty kill was missed at the beginning of the year, but the Leafs quickly picked up and have been one of the best penalty kills in the league as of late.
Do the Leafs miss Mitch Marner?
Mitch Marner has been missed at times this season, especially when the stars were struggling to produce offence. The Maple Leafs, as of late, have figured out ways to win without Marner and have been one of the hottest teams, climbing back into the playoff picture. It will be weird to see a Maple Leafs squad playing against Marner, but it will be a great measuring point for the Leafs moving forward.