Mitch Marner: Why playing at the World’s did him good

Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie Mitch Marner knows a lot of hard work is going to have to be put in during the offseason, in order to be ready for the 2017/2018 NHL season. That’s why participating in the World’s was such an important matter.

Mitch Marner may not be the biggest or strongest rookie out there, but he definitely encompasses many great skills that should outweigh his size.  A positive mindset, determination, agility, and intelligence.

Mike Babcock has strong faith in his player and The Toronto Star puts forth his views on Marner’s skills:

"“I haven’t seen him get hit. Why is that? Why does he have the puck all the time? Why when (Marner) gets it, there’s always tons of room? When anyone else gets it, there’s no room. To me it looks like he’s driving the line.”"

Marner has the gift for finding open ice. This is a significant aspect of his game, as he has shown that size isn’t everything when it comes to hockey. But despite this, he still wants to get his body in shape for the upcoming season.

Looking Ahead

Marner’s intention to play in the world championship was so he could get extra practice, play, and allow for his body to play for an extra month. He wanted to use the World’s to push himself.

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He knows the championship wasn’t something that came easy to him. He played against some teams that were skilled.

That is something Marner needs in order to be able to play against Stanley Cup teams. The competition is hefty.

Marner inevitably has big hopes and dreams as a Maple Leaf. He definitely loves playing for the team and knows that along with the other rookies, he can carry the team far.

He knows everyone will have to work hard to avoid falling behind in the standings in the upcoming season. But Marner has confidence that this will not happen to the Leafs, as they finished strong in the 2016/2017 season, so things should only continue to move forward.

Little Guy, Big Game

Performing at the World’s definitely proved to many there’s more to Marner than meets the eye. You should never judge a book by its cover.

Marner may appear small and nerd-like, but that doesn’t associate with his caliber as a hockey player:

Marner was glorified as one of the best players on team Canada, finishing with four goals and eight assists. Performing at the World’s will definitely prepare him mentally and physically for the 2017/2018 season.

Next: The Leafs' goaltending problem

It is evident that even though it is the offseason, he will train hard to keep in shape. He knows that training camp will come sooner than expected. Marner will only continue to excel in the game, and I’m sure everyone will be excited to see what numbers he will put up in his second NHL season.