MARNER, FOR OPENERS
Why rookie Mitch Marner’s a lock for big minutes with the Maple Leafs,
While Auston Matthews and William Nylander worked together late after practice ended, Mitch Marner had the biggest post-practice scrum, talking about being part of a youthful core of Maple Leafs who will mature together.
“This could be a group together for a long time,” said Marner. “I think it’s just the beginning of something good.”
It will be a rookie-loaded lineup that carries the hopes and dreams of Leafs fans when the team’s 100th season launches on Wednesday night in Ottawa.
“It’s encouraging to the whole group to have a lot of young guys coming up, a lot of skill throughout the whole team,” said Matthews. “It’s a really exciting time to be a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
The big question? Are they a playoff team? General manager Lou Lamoriello dodged the question.
“I never think in those terms,” said Lamoriello. “After 20 or 30 games you find out what your team is, and when you get to 40 or 50 you really know what direction you’re heading that season. At this point, what we’re concerned about is getting better every day.”
So there could still be pain — and the Leafs have enough veterans on expiring contracts to peddle at the trade deadline — but Lamoriello says this team is at least better than last year’s last-place club.
“Are we a better team? Yes. Do we have more potential? I hate that word (but) we have the ability to get better every day. Those are the positives,” he said.
It was by design that the Leafs opened spots for rookies. Connor Brown is on the fourth line. Nikita Zaitsev will be a blue-line regular. Zach Hyman is on the left wing with Matthews and Nylander, on a line destined to be called the Kid Line.
“It’s exciting to have young players with the ability these players have,” added Lamoriello. “It’s up to them to grab this opportunity, which might never come again.”
The way coach Mike Babcock has set his lines, Marner stands to benefit the most on the top unit with Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk.
“You like to play him with guys with hockey sense,” said Babcock. “(Marner) generates a lot. I think he’s been really good. He’s good de- fensively, way better than I expected. He’s got to learn to work hard in practice. He’ll do that.”
Marner’s relatively small frame does not seem to be a concern for the coach.
“I used to think that about (Blackhawks star) Patrick Kane,” said Babcock. “How many years has he been in the league? I’m not trying to pretend one is the same as the other. He never seemed to get hit. I haven’t seen him get hit. Why is that? Why does he have the puck all the time? Why when (Marner) gets it, there’s always tons of room? When anyone else gets it, there’s no room. To me it looks like he’s driving the line.”
Marner’s situation is unique in that the Leafs cannot send him to the Marlies because he’s still junior eligible. If he returns to the OHL’s Lon- don Knights, it will be for the entire season. He can’t be recalled.
“My goal coming in was to make it hard for them to send me back,” said Marner. “I felt every day that went on I kept getting better, learning things from the older guys.”
Lamoriello told Marner not to worry about his junior status. The GM says he isn’t worried about limiting Marner to nine NHL games, after which the rookie would burn a year off his entry-level deal.
“He’s made the team,” the GM said. “What we’ve seen of him, offensively and defensively, he’s done very well. We’re not thinking of anything other than how he can help us right now and his commitment to get better.
“He’s extremely mature and I’ve been extremely impressed by him. He’ll be given every opportunity.”