Mitch Marner will likely be a centre

[CarltonTheBear]

Thought that this was a little nugget that went largely unnoticed by many. There was a lot of talk before the draft about whether or not Marner's playing position should decide if we should draft him over a #1 centre or #1 defenceman. It seems like that might not be an issue. First, in an interview with LeafsHub before the draft Marner talked about his experience playing centre:

J: There?s plenty of discussion as to your position. I talked to your coaches about it and others who have an opinion on whether you are an NHL center or a winger. You spent a fair time on the wing this season, while some say your best hockey was played at center. And even when on the wing you drive your line and think like a center. Where do you see yourself?

M: ?In London the coaches want you to able to play all over. To be versatile so you can be used in any situation when called upon. I?ve played center my whole life and finished up the year pretty good there. I hope to play center next year and in the future but I can play wing too. Whatever is asked of me I?m willing to do, no questions asked. Center is where I?m used to the most though. I would consider myself a center.?

There's some other good stuff in that interview if you wanted to check it out: http://leafshub.com/mitch-marner-believe/

And then after the draft Hunter was specifically asked if the Leafs saw him at wing or centre in the future. When they were asked this question about Nylander the team was pretty non-committal about it, but Hunts said that he believes Marner will be a centre in the future because it gives him more of an opportunity to touch the puck and because of the strength of his play in his own end:

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/mark-hunter-we-want-marner-to-eventually-be-a-centre-in-the-nhl-1.319376

And then Shanahan made the point that if Marner goes back to junior the Leafs will be in a good position to overlook his development:

[tweet]614855877879840768[/tweet]

So seems pretty clear that the Leafs will likely be sending Marner back to junior and he'll be developing as a centre from that point on.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I had seen that.  I see no reason why this shouldn't be the case or why he wouldn't be able to continue to develop in the C position.  If he's played it his whole life until recently then it just makes sense.

 

[Highlander]

Excellent move.  We have plenty of wingers in the system after that draft. We need a Grade A center available in two or three years.

 

[herman]

I recall some posters here theorizing that Marner would take over centre when the players ahead of him on the chart graduate to AHL/NHL next season.

I like this pick and I'm looking forward to seeing more of his play.

 

[ZBBM]

All the better if he can do it.

 

[Kin]

I really don't see why, regardless of his previous experience with the position, you couldn't teach him the ins and outs of it before he got to the big club.

Either way, when it's a prospect with this level of offensive skill I think having him focus on other things in his post-draft year should work well. I'm definitely going to be interested in the WJCs this year.

 

[Frank E]

Was Nylander a centre when he was in Sweden?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Was Nylander a centre when he was in Sweden?

Sorta. From what I understand he played centre growing up (as most young, talented forwards do). In his draft year when he played for MODO he was moved to the wing, but he was a 17-year old playing in the highest mens league in Sweden. It's rare for young players to get much ice-time/responsibility. When he was returned to MODO after the Leafs drafted him they played him as their number 1 centre (likely at the Leafs request) and that's when he put up PPG numbers. Then when he came to the Marlies he played on the wing.

 

[Frank E]

Was Nylander a centre when he was in Sweden?

Sorta. From what I understand he played centre growing up (as most young, talented forwards do). In his draft year when he played for MODO he was moved to the wing, but he was a 17-year old playing in the highest mens league in Sweden. It's rare for young players to get much ice-time/responsibility. When he was returned to MODO after the Leafs drafted him they played him as their number 1 centre (likely at the Leafs request) and that's when he put up PPG numbers. Then when he came to the Marlies he played on the wing.

I guess we'll see where they play Nylander this year with the Marlies (assuming he does a full year with the Marlies)...I figure that'll give us some indication on what their plan is.

Theoretically, the Leafs may have already drafted their #1 and #2 centres.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I guess we'll see where they play Nylander this year with the Marlies (assuming he does a full year with the Marlies)...I figure that'll give us some indication on what their plan is.

Theoretically, the Leafs may have already drafted their #1 and #2 centres.

Ideally I'd start developing them both as centres starting next season. It wouldn't be difficult for one of them to move back to wing, like both Hunter and Marner have said having versatility there is great. But my guess would be that Marner is a centre and Nylander a winger. Wouldn't be bad to have something like Marner-Kadri-Gauthier down the middle in the future with guys like Nylander, Brown, Johnson, Bracco sprinkled in on the wings.

 

[L K]

I'm going to do my part and throw Knights jerseys on the ice to get him ready for that.

 

[hobarth]

Training camp comes and Marner is TO's best player, hypothetically, like Kadri many years ago, should TO return him to junior?

He's already dominated junior, he wasn't just good to exceptional, he dominated, does he need to redominate?

Does he need to return to junior to show his suitability as a center, can't this be done on TO?

Did Kadri become a better player because he was returned to junior twice and then forced to stew in the AHL, is he a better player, was he mishandled, can players be ruined by stagnation?

Are NHL potential players ruined by rushing or simply exposed?

I think these are all interesting questions and many have formulated their opinions but I think each player is different and needs to be viewed as such. I hope he can become a center, except for his size he appears to have the skillset needed to become a center.

 

[rdowdall]

Training camp comes and Marner is TO's best player, hypothetically, like Kadri many years ago, should TO return him to junior?

He's already dominated junior, he wasn't just good to exceptional, he dominated, does he need to redominate?

Does he need to return to junior to show his suitability as a center, can't this be done on TO?

Did Kadri become a better player because he was returned to junior twice and then forced to stew in the AHL, is he a better player, was he mishandled, can players be ruined by stagnation?

Are NHL potential players ruined by rushing or simply exposed?

I think these are all interesting questions and many have formulated their opinions but I think each player is different and needs to be viewed as such. I hope he can become a center, except for his size he appears to have the skillset needed to become a center.

I say send him back to let him get stronger.  Also, I don't think he would have a chance at winning the Calder this year, but he may next year.  It's not a super important thing, but I think that sort of stuff can lead to the perception that the Leafs are starting to draft well.

 

[hobarth]

Training camp comes and Marner is TO's best player, hypothetically, like Kadri many years ago, should TO return him to junior?

He's already dominated junior, he wasn't just good to exceptional, he dominated, does he need to redominate?

Does he need to return to junior to show his suitability as a center, can't this be done on TO?

Did Kadri become a better player because he was returned to junior twice and then forced to stew in the AHL, is he a better player, was he mishandled, can players be ruined by stagnation?

Are NHL potential players ruined by rushing or simply exposed?

I think these are all interesting questions and many have formulated their opinions but I think each player is different and needs to be viewed as such. I hope he can become a center, except for his size he appears to have the skillset needed to become a center.

I say send him back to let him get stronger.  Also, I don't think he would have a chance at winning the Calder this year, but he may next year.  It's not a super important thing, but I think that sort of stuff can lead to the perception that the Leafs are starting to draft well.

Didn't TO trade for a Calder winning goaltender who was out of the NHL 2 years later, I think it's more important that Marner receives the best, the best training in every way shape and form from the best people to manage him, at this time I think that would be Babcock. I'd like to see him do a logical progression rather than be treated like Kessel, he needs to spend time killing penalties and doing grunt work so he's being groomed as that superior 200 foot player we all want so long as he scores in junior he will be given special treatment and forgiven for his shortcomings, we don't want or need another Kadri/Kessel. players that can and do coast on their talent. There's nothing left for him in junior and he needs to be managed now, positively, by first working on his conditioning, diet, skills, etc. rather than coasting thru another junior campaign.

Hunter has already said that Marner will return to junior next year, I would think this would be a motivation kill, showing to me a closed mind who only believes there is one way to grow players, he's a great scout I hope but maybe he should keep his nose out of the other aspects of team management.

He is being compared to Kane, I hope it's true, Kane became an NHL player immediately after the draft and he was and still is undersized. This player is crucial to TO's future, forget the Detroit model, let's hope TO can forge the TO model, that's the type of innovation I'm looking for from the new regime.     

 

[herman]

Didn't TO trade for a Calder winning goaltender who was out of the NHL 2 years later, I think it's more important that Marner receives the best, the best training in every way shape and form from the best people to manage him, at this time I think that would be Babcock. I'd like to see him do a logical progression rather than be treated like Kessel, he needs to spend time killing penalties and doing grunt work so he's being groomed as that superior 200 foot player we all want so long as he scores in junior he will be given special treatment and forgiven for his shortcomings, we don't want or need another Kadri/Kessel. players that can and do coast on their talent. There's nothing left for him in junior and he needs to be managed now, positively, by first working on his conditioning, diet, skills, etc. rather than coasting thru another junior campaign.

Hunter has already said that Marner will return to junior next year, I would think this would be a motivation kill, showing to me a closed mind who only believes there is one way to grow players, he's a great scout I hope but maybe he should keep his nose out of the other aspects of team management.

He is being compared to Kane, I hope it's true, Kane became an NHL player immediately after the draft and he was and still is undersized. This player is crucial to TO's future, forget the Detroit model, let's hope TO can forge the TO model, that's the type of innovation I'm looking for from the new regime.   

You have some interesting ideas; I don't think the Leafs share that vision for Marner.
Marner is going to be groomed for Toews-like duty, which means top line minutes in an environment that he can succeed in. Junior is the best place for him to really dominate as the top centre on the team and grow accustomed to the responsibility of playing in all situations.

The NHL level is going to be in flux for the Leafs for the next few seasons with Babcock instilling a system (that will filter down to their farm teams). Putting Marner in the NHL this season in a checking role is a waste of his skill and a detriment to his physical growth (getting mashed every night). There is only one direction to go from there. In junior, Marner will be motivated to exceed his role and move up to the next available stage.

 

[hobarth]

Didn't TO trade for a Calder winning goaltender who was out of the NHL 2 years later, I think it's more important that Marner receives the best, the best training in every way shape and form from the best people to manage him, at this time I think that would be Babcock. I'd like to see him do a logical progression rather than be treated like Kessel, he needs to spend time killing penalties and doing grunt work so he's being groomed as that superior 200 foot player we all want so long as he scores in junior he will be given special treatment and forgiven for his shortcomings, we don't want or need another Kadri/Kessel. players that can and do coast on their talent. There's nothing left for him in junior and he needs to be managed now, positively, by first working on his conditioning, diet, skills, etc. rather than coasting thru another junior campaign.

Hunter has already said that Marner will return to junior next year, I would think this would be a motivation kill, showing to me a closed mind who only believes there is one way to grow players, he's a great scout I hope but maybe he should keep his nose out of the other aspects of team management.

He is being compared to Kane, I hope it's true, Kane became an NHL player immediately after the draft and he was and still is undersized. This player is crucial to TO's future, forget the Detroit model, let's hope TO can forge the TO model, that's the type of innovation I'm looking for from the new regime.   

You have some interesting ideas; I don't think the Leafs share that vision for Marner.
Marner is going to be groomed for Toews-like duty, which means top line minutes in an environment that he can succeed in. Junior is the best place for him to really dominate as the top centre on the team and grow accustomed to the responsibility of playing in all situations.

The NHL level is going to be in flux for the Leafs for the next few seasons with Babcock instilling a system (that will filter down to their farm teams). Putting Marner in the NHL this season in a checking role is a waste of his skill and a detriment to his physical growth (getting mashed every night). There is only one direction to go from there. In junior, Marner will be motivated to exceed his role and move up to the next available stage.

Mostly I agree with what you're saying but I watch Anaheim and see Getzlaf and Perry kill penalties, Detroit has Datsyuk and Zetterburg kill penalties while also filling their offensive roles so I'm not confining Marner to only a defensive role, where he ends up in the lineup will be dictated by his ability. All of the above players are expected to play in the last minute to protect a lead, they are 200 foot players, TO benches Kessel it's most talented player at crucial times because he wasn't given the right direction in his career, let's hope TO does it right with Marner, let's not have the generally accepted norm as the only model to grow Marner, let's have the Marner model, the TO model. We already know Marner can score in junior so returning him to junior will what, give him a chance to score 3 points a game instead of the 2 per game he did last year, useless in my mind. I hope to see him grow in the realm of his peers not in some league where he can succeed without being challenged, this I thought was what was done improperly with Kadri, the longer a player is allowed to coast the more likely they are to continue to do so.

 

[herman]

Didn't TO trade for a Calder winning goaltender who was out of the NHL 2 years later, I think it's more important that Marner receives the best, the best training in every way shape and form from the best people to manage him, at this time I think that would be Babcock. I'd like to see him do a logical progression rather than be treated like Kessel, he needs to spend time killing penalties and doing grunt work so he's being groomed as that superior 200 foot player we all want so long as he scores in junior he will be given special treatment and forgiven for his shortcomings, we don't want or need another Kadri/Kessel. players that can and do coast on their talent. There's nothing left for him in junior and he needs to be managed now, positively, by first working on his conditioning, diet, skills, etc. rather than coasting thru another junior campaign.

Hunter has already said that Marner will return to junior next year, I would think this would be a motivation kill, showing to me a closed mind who only believes there is one way to grow players, he's a great scout I hope but maybe he should keep his nose out of the other aspects of team management.

He is being compared to Kane, I hope it's true, Kane became an NHL player immediately after the draft and he was and still is undersized. This player is crucial to TO's future, forget the Detroit model, let's hope TO can forge the TO model, that's the type of innovation I'm looking for from the new regime.   

You have some interesting ideas; I don't think the Leafs share that vision for Marner.
Marner is going to be groomed for Toews-like duty, which means top line minutes in an environment that he can succeed in. Junior is the best place for him to really dominate as the top centre on the team and grow accustomed to the responsibility of playing in all situations.

The NHL level is going to be in flux for the Leafs for the next few seasons with Babcock instilling a system (that will filter down to their farm teams). Putting Marner in the NHL this season in a checking role is a waste of his skill and a detriment to his physical growth (getting mashed every night). There is only one direction to go from there. In junior, Marner will be motivated to exceed his role and move up to the next available stage.

Mostly I agree with what you're saying but I watch Anaheim and see Getzlaf and Perry kill penalties, Detroit has Datsyuk and Zetterburg kill penalties while also filling their offensive roles so I'm not confining Marner to only a defensive role, where he ends up in the lineup will be dictated by his ability. All of the above players are expected to play in the last minute to protect a lead, they are 200 foot players, TO benches Kessel it's most talented player at crucial times because he wasn't given the right direction in his career, let's hope TO does it right with Marner, let's not have the generally accepted norm as the only model to grow Marner, let's have the Marner model, the TO model. We already know Marner can score in junior so returning him to junior will what, give him a chance to score 3 points a game instead of the 2 per game he did last year, useless in my mind. I hope to see him grow in the realm of his peers not in some league where he can succeed without being challenged, this I thought was what was done improperly with Kadri, the longer a player is allowed to coast the more likely they are to continue to do so.

All those players spent additional time in development leagues following the draft to hone that exact craft. Marner playing in junior doesn't automatically mean he'll only focus on scoring, and it will likely involve them grooming him to become even more of a 200-ft player in all key situations. It will give him a chance to continue developing physically and to leverage those new strengths to see how he can elevate his game. There is no point in bringing him up to a 4th line role for <10 minutes a game to play in his own end.

 

[Kin]

Mostly I agree with what you're saying but I watch Anaheim and see Getzlaf and Perry kill penalties, Detroit has Datsyuk and Zetterburg kill penalties while also filling their offensive roles so I'm not confining Marner to only a defensive role, where he ends up in the lineup will be dictated by his ability.

Only one of the four players you mentioned played a significant PK role for their team this year. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Perry combined spent under 50 minutes on the PK.

And Perry's never really been a penalty killer. He's only got two seasons where he averaged more than a minute per night on the PK and both of those years were largely unsuccessful ones for Anaheim and where they had mediocre penalty kills.

 

[bustaheims]

All those players spent additional time in development leagues following the draft to hone that exact craft. Marner playing in junior doesn't automatically mean he'll only focus on scoring, and it will likely involve them grooming him to become even more of a 200-ft player in all key situations. It will give him a chance to continue developing physically and to leverage those new strengths to see how he can elevate his game. There is no point in bringing him up to a 4th line role for <10 minutes a game to play in his own end.

It'll also allow him the opportunity to likely play a major role on Canada's World Junior team, which I imagine is enough of a motivator for him and could be a very valuable experience in terms of his development.

 

[herman]

All those players spent additional time in development leagues following the draft to hone that exact craft. Marner playing in junior doesn't automatically mean he'll only focus on scoring, and it will likely involve them grooming him to become even more of a 200-ft player in all key situations. It will give him a chance to continue developing physically and to leverage those new strengths to see how he can elevate his game. There is no point in bringing him up to a 4th line role for <10 minutes a game to play in his own end.

It'll also allow him the opportunity to likely play a major role on Canada's World Junior team, which I imagine is enough of a motivator for him and could be a very valuable experience in terms of his development.

Quite surprised he and Strome were left off the team last time around.