Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets was the exclamation point for Mitch Marner as a Vegas Golden Knights star. He got three assists (basically every goal), en route to a close 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets. What's more is that he has 26 assists, good for a 10th-place tie in the NHL.
Folks, Marner's averaging a point per game, too. It seems like he's getting more comfortable throughout the day with his new team, turning into the superstar that everyone was expecting him to be. Suddenly, the Toronto media isn't handcuffing him to a cage and putting the burners on him.
Now? He's... free. It's like Jack Eichel found the key and freed him from his steel-linked nightmare. All of Marner's fans couldn't be more delighted as the people started to dance in the streets again. I can just imagine the pure joy and ecstasy oozing out... kinda like this.
SASHANNE IS CANON IN THE BIG 2025 https://t.co/QZEAYEUM6J pic.twitter.com/uzgerA8bNv
— Official Chicken Little Movie Account (@RANDOMC_L_EVENT) March 25, 2025
It's like Christmas in Las Vegas, y'all. It came early for everyone's favorite native of Markham, Ontario.
But this month has seen him break out, specifically on the five-game East Coast swing. Suddenly, he's becoming the Marner of old, wowing the fans with his highlight-reel moves and passes. Some say he's got moves like Jagger. But don't tell Adam Levine that.
Mitch Marner's emergence in the Vegas Golden Knights' offense will benefit the team more throughout the season
It's no secret that fans have noticed a completely different Marner in December. He might've looked flat early regarding his goals. However, a goal against the New York Islanders changed all that, putting him back in the driver's seat. Still, he's started to show signs of a turnaround earlier.
You can trace some of Marner's prowess back to November, where he performed an incredible wrap-around goal against the San Jose Sharks. I mean, it took the patience of a saint to pull off a fantastic move like that.
WOAH 😳
— NHL (@NHL) November 30, 2025
Mitch Marner showcases some unreal patience for a beautiful goal! pic.twitter.com/pBEsXNc6Oo
Recent track records will show that the winger is well below his goals mark compared to his "Core Four" days. However, the stats will also show that he's doing even better with Vegas than with Toronto. Take this season's comparison to 2024-25, which is known as his career year, as a perfect example (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Season | Created xGoals Minus Actual Goals | Rebounds Created Above Expected | Corsi | Fenwick | Shooting Talent Above Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-26 | 0.2 | 5.4 | 62% | 63% | 11.4% |
2024-25 | -0.8 | 5.1 | 51% | 52% | 11.1% |
Obviously, he's picking his spots better. That comes at the angst of Golden Knights fans everywhere, specifically if they wish for him to shoot the puck more. However, Marner has a penchant for taking on a solid scoring opportunity, despite needing to do more.
However, he's also doing better at creating rebounds for his teammates. That's part of why he's tied for 10th in the NHL in assists entering Monday. Aside from doing well in the primary assist department (Marner has 18 this season), he's finding ways for players like Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev to score. Add a franchise record to the mix and he's thriving in Sin City.
That's good news for the Golden Knights, who've won six of their last seven games. If the newest winger can continue carrying the offensive load and score more goals, that'll ease the pressure off Vegas. That's especially true with the injuries ramping up to players like William Karlsson, leaving Vegas shorthanded.
Who knows? Vegas Golden Knights fans might have something to stick in the faces of the Toronto media. They've seen and heard the overwhelming noise coming from Ontario regarding the hometown kid. Wouldn't it be deliciously ironic (and funny)?