Craig Berube wanted to set the record straight regarding former Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner. He hoped that hockey fans in Ontario would understand his impact on the team and gain a better glimpse of how much he meant to Ontario. He did exactly that on Wednesday as he talked about how Marner was the Maple Leafs' emotional leader.
"Mitch Marner, Mitch brought the energy and the emotion to the game, I thought, on a nightly basis and in practice. Vocal guy, chatted a lot on the bench, chatted a lot in practice. When he came back to the bench, he'd let guys know, 'pick it up, let's go.'"Craig Berube to the Maple Leafs media
Looking at Marner's postseason stats, it's easy to see why. The former Core Four member led the NHL in postseason points with 29 and also finished fourth in postseason goals with 10. He carried the postseason play for Vegas and even led them to being within two games of their second Stanley Cup.
You can't exactly blame Marner for losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final, either. Carter Hart collapsed like the London Bridge and the Hurricanes had a pressing style that Vegas couldn't figure out in the end. Marner had his fair share of breakout games that helped the Golden Knights advance, whether it was against the Utah Mammoth or the Anaheim Ducks.
Craig Berube's comments show that Mitch Marner wasn't the problem in Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs fans, allow me to regale you with a song that perfectly details your fixation with seeing Mitch Marner fail. It's family-friendly and even your dogs can sing along. In fact, it's a Disney song since it describes the fairy tale that you live in with Marner.
Perfect. If Craig Berube doesn't clear the air enough about Marner's performance as a player, I don't know what will. He's proven that he can be as good a playoff performer as anybody, carrying the Golden Knights on his back. That alone should earn plenty of respect from Maple Leafs fans.
Yet, it feels like the time when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach to form the most dynamic trio in NBA history. James and the Miami Heat were the center of the NBA universe, drawing people in with their shock, awe, and sheer talent. As for the residents of Cleveland? Well, they hated his guts out of pure jealousy since they knew that Miami is far more attractive to play in than Cleveland.
Believe it or not, that holds true in many ways for the Golden Knights and the Maple Leafs. LeBron didn't win his first NBA title in Miami right away, like Marner didn't win his first Stanley Cup with Vegas. Meanwhile, you have Maple Leafs fans acting in the same fashion as Clevelanders did: like the jilted lover with the inferiority complex.
In turn, that only amplifies Berube's comments about Marner further. It shows something that the former Maple Leafs head coach saw in the Golden Knights star that not many people expected. He's proven himself as a leader and will continue to shine for years to come.
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