The Mitch Marner hype in Las Vegas reached peak levels of crazy over the summer. Hockey fans saw the former Toronto Maple Leafs star all over billboards on the Las Vegas Strip as he ushered in a new era for the Vegas Golden Knights.
It's with good reason, too. He had a career year with the Maple Leafs in 2024-25, notching 27 goals and 75 assists. All that equated to an astonishing 102 points, making him one of the league's best players. It's almost like Kelly McCrimmon knew what he was getting himself into, eh?
With that came the legion of fans who... felt betrayed. They burned his jerseys, used his posters as toilet paper (ouch), and tore the heads off the poor bobbleheads in Toronto. It was almost as bad as the Blue Jays losing Game 7 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While that time has passed, a whole month has also passed with it. The NHL season moves into November with Thanksgiving (the American version) rapidly approaching. We're talking about the Dallas Cowboys losing again and the Detroit Lions... actually being good? Someone get Alec Martinez because he needs to see this thing.
But that's not the focus. The whole month passing should be focused on Marner's foray with the Golden Knights. Let's look at the statistics behind the superstar winger and see where his strong suit lies. Why not also look at what must improve with the newest Golden Knight while we're at it?
How has Mitch Marner done transitioning from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights?
As expected, Marner has lived up to his facilitator role. He has 13 assists, with eight being primary assists. The former Maple Leafs winger also has four goals to go with it, accounting for 17 points. That projects to 25 goals and 82 assists, totaling 107 points. Both the assists and the points total would be single-season franchise records.
Diving deeper into his stats reveals how Marner has actually functioned within the Golden Knights offense. The stats show that his shot selection is the gold standard (no pun intended), making him one of the league's best players (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Player | Corsi | Fenwick | Shooting Percentage | Relative Expected Goals | Shooting Talent Above Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitch Marner | 60% | 62% | 17.4% | 16.3% | 11.4% |
What's funny about this is that all these stats would either be career-highs or tied for career-highs as well. That's remarkable, considering he was one of the main focal points of the Maple Leafs' offensive structure.
But these stats also tell another thing about Marner. His shot has become better and more accurate, making him much more potent offensively. Imagine the damage he does if he shoots more when given the opportunity.
What Marner must do better for the next 30 days
There have been times when he's distributed the puck when he could've shot it. With Marner returning to the top line with Jack Eichel, that looms larger than ever. Sure, Eichel's the top shot-producer (57 entering Saturday's game against the Anaheim Ducks). However, you must make the most of your opportunities, especially if you're trying to win the Stanley Cup.
Still, you can't deny that the former Maple Leafs' star had a massive impact on the Golden Knights. He's done his job facilitating the play and setting up his teammates for solid scoring opportunities. That's all you can ask for from your superstar.
Who knows? That could lead to a more explosive Marner in the next 30 days. Golden Knights fans could see him put up even more points, silencing the haters. After all, his running mate, Jack Eichel, knows a thing or two about shutting people up.
Wouldn't that be something? It seems like a recurring theme in Las Vegas.