Source: NHL Wraparound Podcast
I actually saw this clip earlier too but the SDPN podcast also talked about this, and it really sounds like the organisation's plan has been with Mitch is to transform him into a center. As a Marner fan and seeing his point decline, I really didn't like this plan because I saw them misutilizing my favourite player, but maybe this will end up being one of the smartest decision they could have made with Mitch. Maybe the Karlsson injury forced their hands.
Quote from the podcast with George McPhee, president of hockey operations for the VGK:
"I can start with Mitch, and it is amazing, I think, what we've been able to do with him, because when we lost [William] Karlsson, we got thin at center and we decided to try Mitch at center. He hasn't- I don't even know if he played it in junior [he has]. most real good hockey players have played centers as young guys, but he never played center in toronto, I don't think he did in london [he did]. so we tried him at center, and he's been fantastic, and we want to keep him there because he's actually starting to become good on faceoffs. But he is a terrific two way player. And it isn't very often when you can convert a winger to a center. That rarely happens in this league. and he's a number two center in the nhl right now. He's been productive for us, but I love the two way game that this player has. He's so clever and so intelligent defensively, stripping pucks, getting in the way of things. He is- and he's played- he's probably been our most consistent player."
5 comments
becoming one of the most versatile players on the team. put him at center, at wing, hell he’d even probably do well on defense too lmao he already does that on the PP. bro even plays goalie on EN
Mitch Marner was an offensive weapon with the leafs… as a Right winger.
He’s currently on pace for one of his lowest point totals in his career playing all different positions. Just saying.
I was just thankful SDPN started yapping about him at center, and questioning his “fit” with the VGK so he would within a week have a 5 point night with a hatty….
I believe they’re modeling him after Aleksander Barkov. In fact, Keith Tkachuk said as much the other day on his Brady and Matthew’s podcast. He’s got all of the right skills for it, and is one of the best two-way forwards in the game.
I didn’t totally love the decision, especially with there being rumors that Stone may be on the Pietrangelo route of just being too injured to keep playing. But, I looked up the moneypuck line stats, and he’s the center for 3 of the 4 top performing lines (50+ minutes). When he’s the center, his line has like an average of like 60% xGoals %, which is pretty damn good.