Mitch Marner

At 27 years old, Mitch Marner has this physical status:

Mitchell Marner (born May 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, who is currently a right winger and an alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).

Marner was born in Markham, Ontario, and grew up in Thornhill.

He was selected fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Personal life

Marner was born in Markham, Ontario, and spent the majority of his life in the neighbourhood of Thornhill. His parents are Paul and Bonnie Marner, and he has an older brother, Christopher, who is four years older. The Marners consider themselves an animal family; they currently own two pets: a cat named Burbank and a chocolate Labrador named Winston.

Marner attended Hill Academy, a private school focused on athletics, located in Vaughan. He would later go to Blyth Academy. At Blyth, Marner partnered with Knights teammates Christian Dvorak and Owen MacDonald to establish a café known as MOD Feast, with "MOD" being an acronym for each creators names (Marner, Owen and Dvorak). The group offered "bagels and stuff", with Fridays being designated to serving pizza.

Growing up, Marner was a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that eventually drafted him. He was also a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins due to the presence of his two favourite players, Patrick Kane and Sidney Crosby. Marner has listed his favourite movie as Step Brothers, his favourite television show as The Big Bang Theory and cited his favourite video games as the Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty series.

In July, 2020, Marner became part owner of OverActive Media, an esports company with Call of Duty and Overwatch teams based in Toronto.

In May 2022, Marner was the victim of a carjacking, in which his Range Rover was stolen but he was uninjured.

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Playing career

Although Marner was growing up, he started working on ice with 3 Zones Hockey School, Hon. Doug Johnson. He attended The Hill Academy in Vaughan, Ontario, and later Blyth Academy.

Marner played in the Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Hockey League during his youth (GTHL). He appeared with the Vaughan Kings in the 2011-12 season and went on to win a GTHL championship.

Marner moved to the Don Mills Flyers of the GTHL for his minor midget season, scoring 86 points in 55 games during his 2012–13 seasons. In the GTHL, he came in second place, behind Dylan Strome (who was then playing with the Toronto Marlboros). Marner was instantly invited to join the St. Michael's Buzzers of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League, where he went on to win a championship after his season with the Flyers.

Marner's first season as a youth spanned his plans for the following season. He received a scholarship from the University of Michigan to participate in the Wolverines ice hockey team, as well as being drafted by the London Knights in the first round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, Ranking 19th Overall.

Despite receiving a scholarship from the University of Michigan, Marner decided to join the London Knights, who selected him with their first round pick in the 2013 Priority Pick.

Marner had a solid rookie season with the Knights, scoring 59 points in 64 games and finishing second overall for the OHL rookie of the year, behind Travis Konecny.

Marner performed superbly alongside linemate Max Domi during the 2014-2015 season. Marner was consistently rated as one of the top candidates in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, if not top ten, as the season progressed. For the majority of the season, he will lead the way in scoring until the Erie Otters' Dylan Strome dropped six points in the team's last game of the season, moving Marner to second. Marner was named to the OHL First All-Star team and named the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL's best scoring right wing player. In the 2015 Draft, Marner was drafted fourth overall by the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs agreed Marner to a three-year, entry-level deal on July 28, 2015.

On October 1, 2015, Marner and teammate Christian Dvorak were named co-captain of the Knights. Marner spent the majority of the season on a right wing line with Dvorak and Matthew Tkachachuk. The threesome was a dominant force, and the Knights ended the regular season as the top scoring team in the OHL. Marner himself finished second in OHL scoring with 116 points in 57 games and was named the OHL's Most Outstanding Player of the Year in a 59 games.

During the Knights' 2016 playoff campaign, Marner was instrumental in the team's winning the OHL Championship. He led the playoffs in scoring and scoring in 18 games and was named the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the best player in the tournament.

Marner was instrumental in the Knights' win of the 2016 Memorial Cup. He was named tournament MVP and leading scorer in both the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy and the Ed Chynoweth Trophy.

Marner was the second player (after Brad Richards in 2000) to win a Memorial Cup, a Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy, CHL Player of the Year, a league MVP award (Red Tilson Trophy), and a league playoff MVP trophy (Wayne Gretzky 99 Award) in the same year.

After a stellar training camp and pre-season (in which he led the team with four assists), Marner was confirmed that he would remain on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster for the forthcoming 2016-17 season. On October 12, he made his NHL debut in the team's season opener. Despite an effective first game with six shots on target, Auston Matthews' debut was overshadowed by a monumental four-goal debut. After getting a pass between his legs, Marner will score his first NHL goal on his first night playing in Hockey Night in Canada. He would make his first appearance in career as a volunteer four days later.

Marner played with three others in their first multi-point game against the Florida Panthers on October 27, 2016, leading the Leafs to a 4–2 victory. On November 3, 2016, Marner would face the Buffalo Sabres in his first multi-goal game as the Leafs defeated the Leafs 2–1. Marner beat the Nashville Predators 6–2 for the first time in his career, putting him in the lead for the Leafs' top scorer (with James van Riemsdyk) for the first time in his career.

Since leading all rookies with 11 assists and 15 points in 13 games, Marner was named Rookie of the Month for January 2017. He also led all rookies with eight power-play points and tied for his first three points. During the 2016-2017 season, Marner was the third Leaf to be named Rookie of the Month, making the Maple Leafs the first NHL team to have three separate Rookie of the Month awardees in a single campaign.

With 42 on the year, Marner tied for most assists in a season by a rookie. Gus Bodnar, who had 40 assists in the 1943-44 season, set the previous record, which was held for 73 years. Marner spent the entire season on a line with Van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, finding offensive chemistry with the two veterans and completing the year with 61 points. With three rookies finishing with at least 60 points, Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews were only the second team since the 1981 Quebec Nordiques. On his first shift of Game 1, he assisted the team in qualifying for the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he scored his first playoff goal. Marner scored four points in the series, but it wasn't enough as the team lost in six games against the top-seeded Washington Capitals.

Marner tied for the first time in his career on December 19, 2017, breaking a 15-game point drought and winning a four-point game. He had one goal and three assists in defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 8-1. Marner scored his first five-point game (two goals and three assists), becoming the first Leafs player to reach five points in a game since Tomá Kaberle in 2009. Marner finished the regular season leading the Leafs in assists and points, as well as establishing career highs in goals, assists, and points. The Leafs earned their second straight Stanley Cup playoff appearance thanks to their offensive play. Marner became the first Maple Leafs player since Brian Leetch to reach a five-game streak in the Stanley Cup playoffs. With nine points, he led the Leafs in playoff scoring, but the Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round.

Marner beat the Dallas Stars 7–4 on October 9, 2018, with a four-point game (one goal and three assists). The Leafs defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3–2. Marner scored his 100th career assist on a game-tying goal against the Winnipeg Jets on October 27, allowing him to win 3–2. In his first 24 games of the season, only Mario Lemieux had more primary assists than Marner, who had 22 primary assists in his first 24 games. Marner tied for the fastest goal to start a game by scoring seven seconds into a match against the Minnesota Wild on January 3, 2007. Marner scored twice more in the same time frame, but the Leafs lost 4–3 to the Wild. Marner scored a goal during a 4–2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the first Maple Leafs franchise player to start his NHL career with three consecutive 60-point seasons. Marner earned two assists on February 23, his fifth point in his NHL career, when defeating the Montreal Canadiens 5–3. With career-highs of 26 goals, 68 assists, and 94 points, he finished the regular season as the first Maple Leaf to reach at least 90 points in a season since Mats Sundin in 1996–97.

Marner agreed to a six-year, $65.358 million deal with the Maple Leafs on September 13, 2019. Marner was named as an alternate captain for the team at the start of the 2019-20 season. Marner fell awkwardly onto his leg during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 9, 2019, and was supposed to miss at least four weeks due to an ankle injury. In a loss against the Colorado Avalanche on December 4, he made a good comeback in his return. Marner's second five-point game (two goals and three assists) in a dramatic 8–6 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Leafs 3rd annual Next Generation Game on December 23, 2019. Marner, who was down 6–4 in the third quarter, sparked the Leafs' revival when he one-timed a spinning cross-ice pass from Auston Matthews to cut the Hurricanes' lead. Tyson Barrie was then set up for the game tying goal 53 seconds later by Mitch. Just 6 seconds after tied, Marner stole the puck and scored the game-winning breakaway goal. Mitch had been streaking for the Leafs' previous five-point game on February 10, 2018. For the first time in his career, he was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game on January 11, 2020. In a 5–4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on February 7, 2020, Marner earned his 200th NHL assist on a late overtime goal scored by John Tavares.

The COVID-19 pandemic ended abruptly in the regular season. The NHL planned to hold the Stanley Cup playoffs in a bubble a month later, with Eastern Conference games held in Toronto. In the qualifying round of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Maple Leafs faced the Columbus Blue Jackets and lost 3–2. Marner had only four assists in five games, drawing boos from fans and commentators for his lack of playoff results.

The 2020–21 NHL season will be played in a much more dynamic way than previously, with the Leafs grouped in an all-Canadian North Division and remaining exclusively within the division for the regular season. Marner made history by becoming the fourth Maple Leafs player to reach at least five seasons with 40 assists on April 15, 2021. In the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Maple Leafs finished first in the North Division and met the Montreal Canadiens, where they were deemed the favorite to win, the team's first playoff series victory since 2004. The Leafs lost the first game of the season but they took the next three to put a semblance of control. The team's fifth-straight early departure was likewise shortened as they went on to lose the next three games and the series 4–3. Marner scored only four goals in the post-season, this time in seven games, raising suspicion of his perceived inability. Marner was named to the NHL First All-Star Team on the right wing for the first time since Börje Salming was named to the NHL's First All-Star team in 1977.

Marner had another good regular season, scoring 35 goals and 62 assists in 72 games after the restoration of the traditional season. For the most part of the year, Marner, Matthews, and newcomer Michael Bunting formed one of the most consistent forward lines in the league. Marner's career-high four goals and six points helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win by 10-7 over the Detroit Red Wings on February 26, 2022. It was the first NHL hat-trick and four-goal game in his career. Marner capped off his night by scoring the Leafs' tenth goal, his fourth of the season, on a Michael Bunting breakaway pass that Marner began using that season. The Maple Leafs' last game in a game was a 10-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Jan. 4, 2007. Marner hoped to be the fourth Maple Leaf player to break the 100-point barrier, but coach Sheldon Keefe decided to hold him out of the season's last game to brace for the playoffs after accrued 97 points. Marner admitted that it was "definitely difficult," but added that "I want to make sure I'm ready to go." Marner was named again as the league's best right winger at the start of the season, joining teammate Auston Matthews on the first team.

In the first round, Marner and the Maple Leafs drew the Tampa Bay Lightning, two-time defending champions, advancing to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Marner had not scored in eighteen playoff games before the series began, and given the Blue Jackets and the Canadiens' disappointing results against the Lightning, it was a point of skepticism. Marner scored his first playoff goal since April 11, 2019, as part of a 5–0 Leafs win in Game 1 of the season against the Lightning. He had two assists as well, nearly equaling his numbers from each of the previous two playoff seasons in a single game.

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