Marner ready to give it his best shot
Observers with an eye on Mitch Marner during practice Friday at the MasterCard Centre were sure there was a little more mustard on the 20-year-old’s shot as he fired puck after puck at an open net. Marner confirmed as much. “I want to put myself in more situations where I can shoot more, and the shot has to be better if you’re going to (do that),” Marner said. “Over the summer I tried to get stronger in my wrists, working on quick releases.
“I have to change my mind — (and take on a greater) shootmore attitude. I’ve been told that quite a bit.”
Marner registered 176 shots on goal in 77 games last year, fifth among Leafs after Auston Matthews, James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and William Nylander. Marner scored 19 goals, giving him a 10.8 per cent shooting percentage, which was 10th among Leafs.
The ability to find the proper positioning to shoot more often, coupled with possessing a harder shot, is crucial.
It’s something coach Mike Babcock can’t stress enough.
“He has to have a big-time shot,” Babcock said. “He just has to if he wants to take a step in the right direction.
“Mitch worked really hard in the summer, he is skating really good. Mitch is a committed guy, wants to do well, and we are fortunate with that. His shot has to become a weapon.”
GREAT ATTITUDE
Sabres star Jack Eichel’s thoughts on Matthews gained some attention Friday after he told Postmedia’s Mike Zeisberger Matthews has “a bit of that ‘F—- you’ mentality in him, and that’s a good thing.”
Marner responded: “You have to have confidence in yourself and you have to have confidence in the plays you make and (Matthews) definitely has that in him. But it’s not cocky confidence at all. He is very humble.”