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Toronto Maple Leafs: Marner the Machine and the Ping Pong Balls

April 27, 2016, 1:43 PM ET [168 Comments]
Lucas Neilson
Blogger •Atlantic Division Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The smell of burnt toast still lingers around Ontario, but it’s not from Randy Carlyle and his inability to coach or use the toaster. It’s from the one and only, future Maple Leaf Mitchell Marner.

“He’s on fire”

Sure, anyone who played NBA jam as a kid will recall this saying. But Marner is beyond on fire, he’s an electric storm absolutely dominating the OHL playoffs with the London Knights. Dominating is even an understatement, Marner is shredding the competition. The Erie Otters have a solid team, but they don’t seem to have a chance against the powerhouse Knights.

Now that I have pumped up Marner’s tires and inflated his worth, here is the company he’s with numbers wise:

Top 5 OHL Points per Playoff Game:

Doug Gilmour: 5 games played, 6 goals, 9 assists, 15 points = 3 points per game
Jason Allison: 5 games played, 2 goals, 13 assists, 15 points = 3 points per game
Mitchell Marner: 13 games played, 14 goals, 21 assists, 35 points = 2.69 points per game
Connor McDavid: 20 games played, 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points = 2.45 points per game
Justin Papineau: 21 games, 21 goals, 30 assists, 51 points = 2.43 points per game

As you can see, Marner is with some elite names, former superstar Dougie Gilmour and of course the upcoming talent in Connor McDavid. That’s about as good a company you can have when it comes to playoff performances at the OHL level. Marner impresses…everyone. The further this playoff run seems to go, and as quickly as it is going with the sweeps taking place, I can envision Marner on the Leafs next season. With such a young and skilled talent pool the Leafs finally have, it may be the best spot for Mitch to progress his career. Of course this will be up to the Leafs management to assess over the summer and into training camp, but there is no questioning he’s standing out right now, doing all of the little things right, including colossal production in the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs have guarenteed a top four pick in this year’s 2016 Draft and I’m not sure who I’m more excited to see shine in Marner, Nylander or our newest member of Leafs Nation. Toronto fans are going to split their love undoubtedly for any of the three future studs as every fan has their skill-set, feistiness, and swagger for which player will become their new favorite. Rielly will continue to be the cornerstone on defense as Toronto continues their rebuild, and without Phaneuf from the get-go, Toronto will have a better idea of where they stand next season without their former Captain.

Without question there is still a lot of work to be done to get the Leafs into contention to be a contender. Shanahan will ensure that patience is kept and the process continues, as one player in or out could completely change the rebuilding plan and timeline for which it unfolds. There will be a number of decisions made next season, especially on the defensive end, which ultimately will result in a player, or players having to go through waivers. Don’t be surprised to see Toronto try and unload players they don’t see fit their future, much like the Grabner trade from last season.

Tonight the London Knights will square off against the Erie Otters for game four. So far London has capitalized on their chances and scored 18 goals in the first three games. Erie on the other hand has only scored 6 goals, so they will certainly need a complete 180 to be able to swing the momentum of this series. The Knights have won eight straight playoff games and are looking to maul the Otters tonight, completing back to back sweeps. Hopefully Marner can continue to produce and maximize his confidence going into training camp next fall.

The Lottery is three sleeps away.

This is the off-season we have been waiting for. When the ping pong balls line-up and Toronto selects another game changer in the early rounds, a high quality player who can instantly make an impact on the team in a positive way both on and off the ice. Someone that will buy into Babcocks system and the winning ways that are going to be part of Leafs Nation in the near future. We’ve paid our dues as fans; just enjoy the ride as the rebuild begins to unfold into the next chapter. I may be jumping the gun, but I truly feel the dark days in Toronto are behind us, and a ‘new leaf’ will sprout next season as the Leafs begin to pick up momentum.

Positive thoughts lead to positives results.

Thanks for reading.
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