Mitch Marner’s outdated Maple Leafs playoff narratives nowhere to be found with Golden Knights originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Maybe Mitch Marner wasn’t actually the problem.
The star two-way winger was one of those guys who was painted, while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as someone who was good in the regular season but not in the playoffs.
This year with the Vegas Golden Knights — his first away from the Leafs — he’s putting all those narratives to rest.
Marner scored a hat trick on Friday night as Vegas rolled past the Anaheim Ducks to take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference semifinal.
And yeah, for those keeping score at home, the Maple Leafs didn’t even get to the playoffs in their first season without Marner.
Marner now leads the NHL with 13 points in this postseason.
“I think he’s very confident in what he brings,” Vegas coach John Tortorella told reporters after Game 3. “People give him s— all of the time, about the playoffs, and this and that. I don’t think it bothers him a lick. He just plays. He’s a hockey player. I’m glad he’s doing some things for us.”
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Marner has been clutch when Vegas has needed it.
With chance to clinch in the opening round, he notched two goals with an assist to beat the Mammoth.
Then on Friday night, in a deadlocked series, he went for his three goals and added an assist.
Afterward, Marner kept it simple when he spoke to reporters: “There’s a lot of work to still go. It’s always nice to contribute and try to win games.”
The reality is that Marner is one of the NHL’s most gifted all-around players. He’s surely not surprised by playing a good hockey game.
And maybe the playoff narratives were overblown in the first place. Marner seems quite comfortable in this postseason.