Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner feels good to have a public vote of confidence from general manager Brad Treliving.
It’s been a bombshell of a week, after reports emerged that the Leafs asked Marner to waive his no-movement clause in an attempt to acquire Mikko Rantanen, to which he declined citing his desire to stay in Toronto. Marner admitted after their March 8 game against the Colorado Avalanche that he had a feeling something might happen but didn’t disclose if he wanted to remain with the Leafs past this season.
Treliving participated in a quick, impromptu media availability on Sunday, addressing the rumours by stating that he and the Leafs are completely, unreservedly behind the star winger.
“Yeah, it’s great,” Marner said to reporters on Saturday regarding Treliving’s comments. “Like I said, I’m here to play hockey with these guys. I’m excited for that.”
These remarks certainly won’t subside the noise surrounding his future with the team, but he at the very least showed his appreciation to have the support of his GM. Marner is clearly more concerned about the day-to-day grind of the season and helping make sure that the Leafs get back on track.
After a rough travel schedule coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Leafs were given the day off on Friday despite a tough loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Marner admitted that the past six weeks had been difficult to manage but is happy to be back home for an extended period of time.
“It’s nice to be home, be in your own bed, be in your own house, just relaxing in your own personal space. It is what it is,” he said. “I think our coaches and our team has been pretty understandable with what has happened the last six weeks. So I’m trying to just get as much rest as I can off the ice.”
With the Leafs mired in a extended run of poor play since the 4 Nations break ened, the reprieve from the gruelling travel should help in getting things back in order. Head coach Craig Berube shuffled the lines at Saturday’s morning skate, which now has Marner slotted with John Tavares and Bobby McMann.
“Bobby brings a lot of speed off the left side. He’s got a quick release, he’s got a great shot,” Marner said about his new linemates. “ Johnny brings just that steadiness of finding quiet ice around the o-zone. Putting himself in good spots. He gets himself around the net. Obviously we all know he’s got a great skill, so you just gotta try and find him in the right areas.”
If the Leafs wish to get things going back in the right direction, they will have their hands full with an Ottawa Senators team that is making a strong push to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They come into the contest on a five game win-streak and currently sit six points back of Toronto for second in the Atlantic Division.
Marner says the Leafs cannot take their opponents lightly, especially with this being the first time in ages that the Battle of Ontario has both combatents being competitve at the same time.
“That team has been coming for the last two or three years. You knew they were going to eventually get through that barrier,” he said. “They have a lot of skill over there, they have a lot of work ethic. So we just got to be ready to match that and do more. We’re going to play the patient game. We can’t be forcing stuff, we can’t be giving up easy stuff. That’s where our heads got to turn around and our mindsets got to go.”