Mitch Marner plays on Toronto’s top line, top penalty kill unit and top power play unit, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to rest during games. Does he ever get tired?
“It’s a great question, because it doesn’t appear that he does, frankly,” said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. “He’s very, very smart with how he conserves his energy, seems to be in great shape and seems to be able to go forever.”
Marner is averaging 22:03 of ice time per game since Keefe took over behind the bench, which is an increase of 1:42 from what he was getting under Mike Babcock. Among forwards, only Connor McDavid (22:10), Leon Draisaitl (22:19) and Jack Eichel (22:44) are seeing the ice more since Marner returned from an ankle injury on Dec. 4.
On the Leafs only Morgan Rielly, a defenceman, has averaged more ice time per game under Keefe. So, we asked the man himself, does Marner ever get tired?
“No,” the 22-year-old said with a chuckle. “I mean, I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like it sometimes, but there’s obviously shifts out there where you get trapped in your own zone or something like that and you need to take a little breath and relax so there’s definitely times when it happens. I try to just make sure my conditioning throughout the year is at the top level.”
Marner is making the most of his minutes with 32 points in 22 games since the coaching change. That clip of 1.45 points per game is behind only Sidney Crosby (1.6, but only in five games), Artemi Panarin (1.55) and Nathan MacKinnon (1.46) in the games since Nov. 20.
And there’s no sign of Marner wearing down. In fact, he’s always looking for more.
“He gives you the little look over his shoulder wondering if he’s next or, if he’s not, ‘Why aren’t I?’ kind of thing,” Keefe said with a smile. “But those are the cues you look for from players, especially your best guys, because you’re trying to gauge, are they tired? Sometimes if they’re tired they don’t want the next shift and they’re telling you by not giving you the eye contact or you just see their back moving a little bit because they still haven’t quite caught their breath, those are all the little things you’re looking at. So, when a player is giving you the eyes he’s telling you, ‘I’m ready so don’t slow this down any more, let get me going.'”
“It’s more just so he knows he doesn’t have to sit our line or wait for our line,” Marner said. “It’s just after a PK or something like that or if he thinks I’m still tired from that, I just try and give an eye or talk to (assistant coach Paul McFarland) and let him know, ‘I’m good to go.'”
It’s not just Marner getting more minutes. John Tavares and Auston Matthews are also taking more shifts under Keefe. And the players say it’s a big help in unleashing their offence.
“We’re trying to take advantage of that,” said Matthews, who’s up 55 seconds per game. “We’re playing a little bit more throughout the games so, as offensive players, that’s everything you want, right. So, it’s what you do with that opportunity and we’ve been trying to make the most of it.”
Matthews has 22 goals in 28 games under Keefe, which leads the league in that stretch.
“Being out on the ice more you get more opportunities to score,” Marner said. “And I think you get used to playing against certain people and kind of find out their tendencies and I think it helps out a lot.”
Keefe notes that his newly installed system works best when the best players are on the ice and in a groove.
“With our style of play and how we’re moving the puck around, we try and keep the puck as much as we can,” Keefe said, “keep it in the hands of the good players more often.”
Indefatigable Marner always giving Keefe ”the eyes” on the bench
Sheldon Keefe has Mitch Marner playing more than 22 minutes a night since taking over as head coach of the Leafs, which is almost two minutes more than what he was getting under Mike Babcock. Mark Masters has more on how Marner has convinced his new coach to get him out more.
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Tavares has been relatively quiet since returning from the bye week failing to hit the scoresheet in Nashville and Dallas. He was also held pointless in a loss to the Blackhawks before the break.
“Certainly, you know, I’d like to be more productive and continue to raise my game,” Tavares said. “I think coming off the break, I haven’t maybe been quite as sharp as I’d like to be. I feel like at times I’ve done a lot of good things in good stretches and just haven’t been able to finish plays off and be rewarded.”
TSN’s Kristen Shilton has more on the captain’s dry spell here.
Marner was asked what he’s seen from Tavares of late.
“He keeps us calm and collected through the room, through the bench, so he’s done great in that aspect,” Marner said, “and he’s still creating near a point a game … He means a lot to this locker room and everyone knows that in this locker room. We stick together in here. We don’t really try and read too much of the outside noise and this place can get a little crazy and will turn on people real quick and we know that so we stay close with each other and we don’t let anything bother us.”
Tavares is averaging 0.93 points per game this season, which is down only slightly from 1.07 last year.
”I’d like to be more productive”: Tavares admits he’s not as sharp since break
Maple Leafs captain John Tavares admits that he’d like to be more productive and continue to raise his game, and says he’s focused on overcoming whatever challenges he’s facing.
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On Saturday night Jason Spezza will get his first taste of the Battle of Ontario since signing with Toronto in the summer. The veteran forward was a scratch on opening night when the Leafs beat the Senators, but since the coaching change the 36-year-old has consistently dressed. Keefe says he appreciates the veteran presence noting that Spezza seems to have a good rapport with many referees.
“It’s just important to treat people as people,” Spezza said of his approach. “I think that’s always been something I’ve been cognizant of. I get into it with refs sometimes, but there’s a human element to it too and I understand that. Those guys work extremely hard, they travel, they go through a grind and I respect that and usually those guys love the game, that’s why they’re doing it. So, try to have a good relationship. You get to know guys over the years. You see a lot of the same faces. There’s been a lot of turnover lately so there’s a lot of guys I don’t know, but the guys that have been around you just form relationships with. We’ve all been doing the same thing for a long time and you treat them like people, say ‘Hi’ to them after games and I think it goes a long way.”
During Monday’s game in Nashville, Spezza was seen sharing a laugh with linesman Scott Driscoll during a break in play.
“Me and Scottie go way back,” Spezza said. “He’s one of my favourite guys. He’s closing in on retirement and we were having a chat and I think he said he’s going to have 1,850 (games) by the end of it and that’s pretty impressive and he’s cramming games in because he’s retiring and he’s not taking a break. He’s a big boy, but gets around the ice still pretty good. He’s a great guy and someone I’ve enjoyed over the years and gotten into it with him lots at times, but he’s a guy who’s really old school and you can laugh about it three shifts later so one of my favourite guys, for sure.”
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Travis Dermott (sick) missed practice.
“I’m unsure,” said Keefe when asked about the defenceman’s status for Saturday’s tilt with Ottawa. “We got to see. He was ill and didn’t come into the building today.”
Martin Marincin will draw in if Dermott is unavailable.
Keefe confirmed that Michael Hutchinson will play against the Senators, his first start since Jan. 4.
Leafs Ice Chips: Dermott questionable with illness; Hutchinson starts vs. Sens
The Maple Leafs practiced in Toronto on Friday but Travis Dermott was not on the ice, as the defenceman is dealing with an illness. Mark Masters has more.
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
