Auston Matthews stays out of the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. He continues to take care of an upper-body damage that sidelined him earlier within the season. In his absence, Mitch Marner, a pending unrestricted free agent for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has stepped up his recreation.
Mitch Marner has 26 targets, 58 assists and a plus-minus of +19 in 66 video games with out Auston Matthews in his profession. Marner recorded a hat trick towards the Detroit Crimson Wings within the first recreation again from the vacation break.
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If you happen to have a look at the statistics, Marner proves he is a crucial a part of the Maple Leafs wheel. With out Matthews within the lineup, Marner has collected a number of factors in 8 of 12 video games this season with out Auston Matthews within the lineup.
Simply have a look at his factors per recreation with and with out Matthews within the lineup. Whereas it’s only up by .20 factors per recreation, Marner is making a case he’s simply as worthwhile as Matthews.
Mitch Marner profession factors per recreation
With Matthews in lineup: 1.07Without Matthews in lineup: 1.27
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 28, 2024
Many individuals puzzled if the Maple Leafs ought to break up the core after their playoff failures, pointing the finger at Marner for his playoff performances. Nonetheless, with a brand new coach, Craig Berube, coming in, there was a perception that he might get this group to purchase into one other approach of taking part in.
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It seems it’s working, and Mitch Marner has taken the criticism to coronary heart and personally. He’s proving, although he doesn’t should, as Mike Johnson stated on TSN Radio in Toronto, that he can lead a workforce and is a crucial piece to the success of this membership.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Whereas he’s (Auston Matthews) out. MJ, like, how massive of a possibility is that this for Mitch Marner to actually step up and say, ‘Hey, I’m definitely worth the cash that I believe I’m price as a result of I can lead a workforce.’ And he has a possibility to take action, so long as Matthews is out.”
Mike Johnson: “Yeah, I assume. I imply, I don’t assume, I don’t know if Mitch wants to point out that, show that. I imply, Mitch has been among the finest right-wingers within the league for like 5 years. Sure, he has nice gamers round him, and he nonetheless has superb gamers round him. He carried out extremely effectively when Matthews was out the primary time.
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And if he continues to take action, I assume then he might declare, see I can do it as effectively. Pay me what I need, and perhaps that helps his trigger in negotiation. However I don’t assume Mitch ought to really feel like he has to show something to anybody about how effectively he might play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
Host: “Yeah, that’s in all probability honest.
We all know Marner is trying to get greater than the $10.9 million he’s at the moment getting on an AAV. William Nylander is getting $11.5 million AAV on his present. In the meantime, Matthews is at $13.25 million. Marner is exhibiting is price someplace within the center.
We’ve seen it across the league, particularly groups which have a number of celebrity gamers; when certainly one of them goes down, another person steps up. What number of instances did Evgeni Malkin step up with out Sidney Crosby within the lineup?
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Go have a look at the Colorado Avalanche; Mikko Rantanen or Nathan MacKinnon are out, and the opposite steps up. Once they had Nazem Kadri, he lifted his recreation to new heights.
There are such a lot of examples all through the historical past of the sport. Does this make a stronger case for Mitch Marner in negotiations? It certain does. The longer Matthews is out, the upper the quantity on an AAV Marner will get on his subsequent deal. Whether or not that’s with Toronto stays to be seen.
Nonetheless, proper now, all indicators level to a return, however the Maple Leafs do produce other areas they want to consider as effectively. However not bringing again Mitch Marner could possibly be a regrettable determination.”
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