By Alex Hobson
If somebody asked you who the Leafs' top prospect is, a couple names might come to mind. William Nylander might be considered one of the best, but one name that could give Nylander a run for his money is newly-acquired draft pick Mitch Marner.
Ever since the draft lottery took place on April 18th, there's been lots of speculation as to who the Leafs might draft with their 4th overall pick. Of course the three names that continuously circled around were Dylan Strome, Noah Hanifin, and Marner. After it became more and more realistic that the Arizona Coyotes would take Strome at #3, many began believing that the Leafs would take Marner at #4 because of their skill-over-size approach and Mark Hunter's connections to Marner from London. On June 26th, the thoughts became a reality, when Hunter took to the podium and announced Marner's name. So who exactly is Mitch Marner? Lets take a look.
Born in Thornhill, Ontario, Marner has been a phenom to watch his entire life. He grew up playing midget AAA hockey for the Vaughan Kings and then the Don Mills Flyers, and then in 2013, he was selected 19th overall by the London Knights in the OHL Priority Selection. Who was the GM at the time who selected Marner? That was Mark Hunter. They have had connections ever since that year, and is one of the reasons Hunter decided to make Marner a Leaf. In his first year as a Knight, he put up 59 poits in 64 games, which is already impressive for a rookie, but nothing compares to his second year as a Knight, when he posted 126 points in 63 games and finishing second in OHL scoring, sitting only behind Dylan Strome, despite the fact that Marner had played less games due to injury. It's no fluke that he was supposed to go top five, and he will more than likely be a star in the NHL for years to come.
So what makes Marner such an elite player? Let's start off with the fact that he absolutely oozes skill. He posseses great hands along with a good shot and undeniable speed, and he makes players around him better. He also knows how to play defense in his own zone and he's an all around player full of heart. The only factor that turned off scouts was his size. He stands only at 5'11 and 161lbs, but let's not forget the fact that he's only 18 years old and still has a couple more years to bulk up and grow in size.
NHL ETA: 2016-17
Marner has the skill set to compete at an NHL level, but it's more than likely that Shanny and co. will give him another year in London to make sure he's 100% ready when his time comes to play in the NHL. They're taking a very patient approach for him rather than rushing him up to the big league. This extra year in junior will give him more time to work out and bulk up so he's stronger and more prepared to earn a regular spot on the Leafs.
Player comparable: Patrick Kane, Claude Giroux, Dougie Gilmour
When Marner is playing wing, he plays a lot like Patrick Kane in the sense that he's got great hands and has a very quick style of play. When he is playing centre, he plays very much like Claude Giroux or former Leafs fan favourite Dougie Gilmour. Either way, he's going to be very exciting to watch in the coming years.
What do you think about Marner, Leafs fans? Weigh in below.
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