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Golden Knights are trying something the Maple Leafs never bothered to with Mitch Marner
Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The Vegas Golden Knights are giving Mitch Marner a new role at center, in a move that the Toronto Maple Leafs never once thought to try as a way to balance things.
Although he might not be blowing everyone away as he was expected to, Mitch Marner is still putting in a solid debut season with the Golden Knights after being dealt this past offseason by the Maple Leafs.
It hasn't been perfect truth be told, but all things considered his 39 points in 36 games are still over his normal point-per-game pace and he's starting to get more comfortable as each game passes.
Mitch Marner the center? Vegas trying something new
He better get comfortable quick, as it seems that head coach Bruce Cassidy wanted to use Marner in a completely different way:
Vegas has Marner playing pivot; a place that he really doesn't play a lot and while it hasn't been perfect, they are giving Marner every opportunity to learn and get better at being a main face-off guy.
It's something that the Toronto Maple Leafs never really thought to try, and it's perplexing why. The team was looking for a 3C for a few years, but they very well could have balanced things earlier by perhaps placing John Tavares at the 3C and Marner at the 2C.
Toronto messed up not trying Marner up the middle
More balance throughout the lineup would give a whole new dynamic that we hadn't seen before, and Marner is more than good enough defensively to be an elite center.
Toronto could have still used Max Domi up top with Auston Matthews as they do right now, plus it would have prevented the team from needing to use him in any capacity up the middle.
There was discussions last season about giving William Nylander more chances at center, and then Craig Berube quickly dashed those hopes. Why he never tried the same tactic with Marner to at least see what he could bring is a bit confusing; but nonetheless was successful.
Granted, the jury is still out on Marner's credibility as a center, but if Vegas keeps using him more and more, then it'll only be a matter of time before he adds another elite part to his game.
It's something the Maple Leafs could have reaped the benefits of, if they had been a little more creative with how they used their former superstar.