Alright, you've seen the endless array of highlights. You've seen the EA Sports trailer put out for NHL 26. You're ready to run through a brick wall and destroy your house in the process.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mitch Marner-mania has taken hold of Las Vegas. It's a movement gripping the city in ways never seen before, leaving people in anticipation of the upcoming season. Mind you, this is a Golden Knights team that didn't win the Stanley Cup last season.
Luckily, we're a couple of months away from the greatest season of all starting. That means fans can witness greatness unfold before their very eyes. That includes the odd-man rushes, the hits, and the awe-inspiring one-timer goals that make Golden Knights hockey a must-see spectacle.
Note that I hesitated on mentioning breakaways since the Golden Knights never score on breakaways. Context is important.
But let's go back to Marner for a second. The newest Vegas superstar is heading to town in his debut season. Here are four fun facts you probably didn't know about the newest superstar.
1.) Mitch Marner owns a Esports company
Being a professional gamer is all the rage right now. You can compete in tournaments featuring games like Super Smash Bros. and Overwatch and win prize money. That's part of why it became a competitive sport in recent years.
Marner joined an investment group in 2020 called OverActive Media alongside a little-known artist named The Weeknd. Now, that's some elite company right there.
2.) He almost stepped away from hockey during his London Knights days
When Marner was with the London Knights, the wunderkind experienced a slump. After telling his father that he "sucks," he took a break, which nearly resulted in his quitting. Then, something magical happened.
He rekindled the magic with his coach, Rob Desveaux, and rattled off 29 points in the next 10 games. The rest is history and he's still dominating the NHL to this day.
3.) Marner back-squatted 375 lbs. as a Maple Leafs prospect
You might read that and be in shock at the statistics. You'll be shocked further when you find out he weighed 165 lbs. as a prospect. However, a Sportsnet feature revealed that the former Maple Leafs star did exactly that.
That lower-body strength is part of what makes him an excellent two-way player. He's able to leverage that strength into hits and moving effectively up and down the ice. It looks like Kelly McCrimmon knew what he was getting before July 1st.
4.) Marner was offered a scholarship from the University of Michigan
The Vegas Golden Knights are no strangers to having University of Michigan alumni in their franchise history. Former 2020 first-round pick Brendan Brisson is one name that comes to mind. He was a fixture in the Golden Knights' farm system before he magically brought Reilly Smith back. The same goes for Max Pacioretty.
But Marner was nearly a Wolverine himself. They offered him a scholarship, but he ultimately passed up as he was selected 19th overall in the OHL Draft.