Mitch Marner shows exactly why Golden Knights wanted him from Maple Leafs with heroic play originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Yes, Mitch Marner is leading the NHL in playoff points, and he got an assist in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals as the Vegas Golden Knights rallied to beat the Carolina Hurricanes.
This story isn’t about a Marner assist, though.
It’s about a blocked shot.
Marner was always regarded as a quality all-around player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Golden Knights knew they could get that.
Toronto wasn’t where Marner wanted to be anymore, and so he found a way to move on via sign-and-trade.
The Maple Leafs can only watch from home, waiting to make the No. 1 pick in the draft, as the Golden Knights make a deep playoff run that now includes a 1-0 series lead in the championship series.
The victory was in part because Marner put his entire body on the line late in the game.
With Carolina shooting from the point, Marner flew in front of the angle, leaped fully off the ice and found a way to block the puck:
Who else but MITCH MARNER coming up with the block at the endđ„đ„đ„
His great playoff run continues!!!! đ pic.twitter.com/QJZs1iVe1a
â B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 3, 2026
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It’s hard to know if Marner meant to block that exactly the way he did, but it was the outcome that counted here. He didn’t let the puck get toward his net.
That’s the kind of play that wins hockey games. It’s the kind of play the Leafs probably wish they were still getting right about now, too.
But nope — Marner wanted out, and in his new home, he’s thriving on the biggest stage in hockey.