So we talked about the Vegas Golden Knights and how Jack Eichel could get 100 points in a season. The Olympic gold medalist has the single-season franchise record for the most points, with 94 in 2024-25. But what about his teammate?
You know, the one.
Mitch Marner is another player who can hit the century mark for the Golden Knights. In fact, he did it in his last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring 102 points (27 goals and 75 assists). So, it's easy to say that he can achieve the mark again.
Don't forget that not a single Golden Knights player has achieved this mark in franchise history. Eichel came closest to this mark with the aforementioned 2024-25 season. However, Marner has plenty of reasons why he can be the team's first 100+-point player.
But how can he make this happen? Again, it's obvious to say that he must stay healthy with the Golden Knights this season. Otherwise, he'll be on the same pathway as Mark Stone. Luckily, there are three objectives to make this happen.
Shoot the puck more
You can't make this claim about Jack Eichel since he led the Golden Knights in goals scored last season (260). But he had a lower shooting percentage than Marner (Marner had a shooting percentage of 14.5%, compared to Eichel having a shooting percentage of 10.4%). Last season, the former Core Four member had 165 shots on goal, 95 points less than his superstar teammate.
The objective becomes clear, especially with Pavel Dorofeyev out of the picture. Marner must take more shots on goal and take the initiative. Yes, it's not in his DNA to become a shooter first. But he's shown that magic (waka waka) happens whenever the Canadian Olympian takes the initiative, as proven by his 10 goals during last season's Stanley Cup playoffs.
Lean more into the power play
During his 2024-25 campaign with the Maple Leafs, Marner tied his career-high in power play assists with 27. He also added six goals on the unit, adding more meat to Toronto's man-advantage attack. Last season? He had 19.
Once again, Pavel Dorofeyev will be out of the picture after being traded to the New York Rangers this offseason. The onus will be on Marner to carry the play, especially since Vegas will lean heavily on everyone doing their part. That's especially true with Marner, who must attack more on the unit.
Lean more on your linemates
Last postseason saw Mitch Marner erupt for 29 points. That led the NHL and nearly won him the Conn Smythe Trophy. Hockey fans saw the winger show that he can handle the pressure of being in the playoffs (it was probably his former team).
But a part of that came from his linemates, William Karlsson and Brett Howden. The line had the best xGoals% during the postseason (minimum of 100 minutes) with a percentage of 57.7%, leading the Golden Knights within two games of their second Stanley Cup. They're projected to be together to start the season, meaning he must lean on his linemates. Of course, that's also true with whoever he plays for, whether it's with Tomas Hertl or Mark Stone.
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