Alarming Evidence Reveals Why Mitch Marner, Not Auston Matthews, Is the Leafs' Most Valuable Player
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been able to do fairly well without captain Auston Matthews on the ice, but when it comes to Mitch Marner? The evidence is surprising.
A stat has emerged that shows a surprise difference between the two forwards when one is out' injured or otherwise.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a 43-20-2 in 65 games without Auston Matthews in the lineup.
Without Mitch Marner though, the Leafs are only 21-17-5 in 43 games.
The stats show that the Toronto Maple Leafs have played worse without Mitch Marner as opposed to Auston Matthews, which is a testament to the forward's impact when he's on the ice.
While both are heralded as great talents and among two of the best players currently in the NHL, Auston Matthews is viewed unanimously as a franchise icon and top star with some calling him the best player not named Connor McDavid.
On the other hand, Mitch Marner is frequently the target of diehard Leafs fans who discredit his work ethic and defensive ability.
While Mitch Marner lacks the physical edge commonly associated with strong defensive play, advanced statistics credit him as an effective asset in his own end, positively impacting the Leafs' defensive game.
This skill earned him a nomination for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive forward, in 2023; a rare recognition for a winger like Mitch Marner.
As well, Mitch Marner gets criticism over his playoff history. though it is true he has dealt with consistency issues in the postseason, he's still been impactful for Toronto in this regard.
This was none more evident than when in the 2022-23 season as the Leafs broke a 19 year streak of not progressing past the first round.
Also a worthwhile note is that Mitch Marner's career playoff numbers is about the same as Auston Matthews, as Marner has 11 goals and 39 assists in 57 games, meanwhile Matthews has 23 goals and 25 assists in 55 games.
Unfortunately, both Marner and Matthews have issues with Game 7's, having a combined 5 points and are minus-7 in 5 elimination games.
Despite a perception over Mitch Marner's game and concerns over his impact level, the stats show the impact Mitch Marner has on how the Toronto Maple Leafs play.
His absence impacts the team just as hard as any of the leaders in the Leafs dressing room, seemingly more than most, and should give Toronto something to think about regarding a contract extension.
FAQ: Leafs Have A Different MVP Than Auston Matthews
Q1: Who is more valuable to Toronto than Auston Matthews?
A1: Mitch Marner is more valuable to the Maple Leafs due to his full well-rounded skillset, and how he improves his teammates.
The Maple Leafs are also historically much worse without Marner than Matthews.
While both men are certainly impactful, the evidence shows Toronto has a worse record with Mitch Marner out than Auston Matthews.
Q2: Will Mitch Marner re-sign with the Maple Leafs?
A2: It's hard to say, as there are several factors that can determine whether or not Toronto can re-sign him.
However, evidently the team is much better with him than without, and a deep playoff push could be enough to convince Marner to take a pay cut with Toronto, in the sense of him making slightly less somewhere else.
In closing, the evidence shows that the Toronto Maple Leafs are much better with Mitch Marner in the lineup than their captain Auston Matthews.
However this isn't a slight towards Matthews, as he is a phenomenal player, but Marner seems to be the lifeblood of the team, and the true engine that drives the Maple Leafs to success.
| POLL | ||
Who is the better player in the Core 4? | ||
