He skated around the T-Mobile ice screaming and pumping his fist. Maybe it was a way for Mitch Marner to let go of all past frustrations. Maybe he was just overjoyed in the moment.
Maybe it was both.
Whatever the reason, you couldn’t have found a happier member of the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, Marner’s euphoric response coming just minutes after the organization secured a third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons by sweeping top-seed Colorado from the playoffs.
He has carried the burden of an unfair narrative for years, all those seasons in Toronto without much postseason success.
All those who blamed him for the Maple Leafs not reaching the pinnacle of hockey. Silly, really.
But this is also true: Such opinions — fair or not, and they’re not — will for many stick until Mitch Marner wins it all. Toronto never advanced past the second round of the playoffs with him.
Now, the Toronto kid drafted No. 4 overall by his hometown team with whom he spent nine seasons is four wins from shutting up the critics.
Conn Smythe?
He is here now and has thrived. Marner leads the NHL in playoff scoring with 21 points and is the odds-on favorite today to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy for the league’s MVP throughout the playoffs.
He has all the skill, the playmaking ability and is a past finalist for the Selke Trophy, given to the league’s best defensive forward. He does it all.
He also couldn’t have asked for a better reality since being acquired by the Knights in a sign-and-trade deal in July of last year.
The spotlight was blinding for Marner in Toronto. Like nothing you can imagine. The grand expectations of, well, everyone.
It can be brutal, even for the best of players. Mostly for the best of players.
It’s not as bright here. He can be himself.
“A special moment,” Marner said of Tuesday night. “There have been some dark times in hockey for myself, honestly. Thankful for my family, for my brother and Mom and Dad and my wife and all my friends. I just wanted to express (on the ice) what I was enjoying, some joy, having some fun. I’ll enjoy this for the night and then get ready to go to work.
“It has been a whirlwind. Obviously, very excited to be part of this team. It’s something I’ve talked about since Day 1, wanting to be part of this team. I feel very fortunate to be part of it and this city.”
Knights coach John Tortorella has constantly spoken about all the things Marner does that others don’t see. All the things he brings to a game even when he doesn’t score.
That he’s one of the top players in the league. That he just loves to compete. That, simply, he’s a hockey player.
Marner has always believed in himself and there is no doubt each member of the Golden Knights believes in him. He just wanted to work, is all, to do the things of which he is capable.
And he has.
Some doubters will likely always be there, no matter how the Knights fare against whoever emerges from the Eastern Conference Final between Carolina and Montreal.
Some will always point to his time in Toronto.
Not sure Marner cares about any of it any more. Just goes about his business as a world-class player.
Moving on
He is also part of a Knights team that has been continually built on the premise of depth, much like the one that lifted a Stanley Cup in 2023. You can see much of that team in this current one, how they have gone about reaching this point.
“Every season and series is different, right?” said captain Mark Stone. “I guess the similarities are there, but it’s still hard to compare.”
They didn’t have Mitch Marner in 2023, and there’s no doubt he makes them even better now.
I suppose the weight of it all might still exist upon his shoulders, even though he sounds like a player who has moved on from it.
There is also one way to officially do so.
Win it all.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.
