Marner impressing veterans at camp
HALIFAX Enough of Mitch Marner’s overly scrutinized quest to put on weight and keep it there and the theory that if he doesn’t, he can’t be an influential NHL player.
Every morsel the kid digested, it seemed, was a topic of discussion in arguably the most important summer of development for the Leafs uber-talented first-round pick from 2015. As with most 19-yearold NHL prospects not named Auston Matthews, however, getting to man strength doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. Accordingly, Marner worked hard in the offseason, put on some beef and is significantly closer to being ready than he was at his first Leafs camp a year ago.
Perhaps more importantly, however, Marner is learning to use his body to optimum effectiveness while continuing the process of building strength.
“For sure that was a popular question in the summer time, but now it’s hockey season and you can just go out there and play hockey,” said Marner, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft. “That’s the main focus I have going into it.
“I feel like I’m stronger and get up the ice faster. I feel more comfortable on the ice and I have a lot more confidence when I have the puck. I feel comfortable and that’s pretty important going into the pre-season games.”
Through three days of practice and scrimmage, Marner has looked it, too. That comfort level is no doubt assisted by his early-camp linemates, Brooks Laich and Colin Greening. Playing with veterans in the early days of camp where lines are cluttered with a mix of juniors and minor leaguers, would appear to be designed to help Marner in his development.
Laich has been a big help but has also been impressed with Marner’s grasp of some of the subtleties a player can use to help make up for his diminutive stature.
“People think you need size and you need weight to win one-on-one battles, but Mitch is very good at body position,” Laich said. “He’s good at getting somebody on his hip and keeping them there.
“He’s good at tying up a stick so the other guy can’t make a play and then getting body position so he can kick the puck to his stick. I saw some little things that are very impressive.”
One of the top priorities for Leafs brass at this camp is to see where Marner fits. Given that the ideal option is to have him stick with the big club rather than return to the OHL’s London Knights — where he piled up a combined 242 points the past two seasons — he will be given a long, hard look as the pre-season schedule unfolds.
“I’ve seen a lot more poise, a lot of maturity and I think he’s done a tremendous job this year,” Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello said on Sunday. “We’re very pleased with what we see right now.
“We’ll see him in exhibition games, how he plays, how he fits in and whether he’s ready or not. I’d like to think he’ll get every opportunity and hopefully he is. He’ll make the decision as far as how he plays.”
Marner knows that he’s still a work in progress, which is high among the reasons he’s getting the opportunity to play with Laich. Listed at six feet, 170 pounds, he is still slight but not automatic to be knocked off the puck.
“Hopefully I can just continue building my strength and speed and create open areas for myself,” Marner said.
“Playing the defensive game is something I’ve gotten better at, learning what (head coach Mike Babcock) wants us to do in the D zone. If you can’t play defence, you can’t play offence.
“I want to make the point that I want to push for a spot this year. I’ll take it day-by-day here in exhibition games.”
That’s clearly a point that Laich has been stressing and will continue to do so in Monday’s pre-season opener and whenever he can through the exhibition schedule.
Whenever the puck gets on Marner’s stick, magic isn’t far off. But scoring and surviving in the NHL is a much different beast than dominating in junior.
“He’s so smart, so slippery and everybody knows about his offensive talent,” Laich said.
“But he’s going to make the team based on how well he can play the 200-foot game, not just the 100foot game in the offensive zone,” he added.