The Toronto Maple Leafs have had an up-and-down series thus far, with a disappointing performance in game 1 and then a bounce-back major win in game 2. Game 2 saw a lot of massive performances, including a 3-point night from Auston Matthews, as well as a stellar performance from Ilya Samsonov.
One player who has disappointed Leaf fans, though, is Mitch Marner. He has been widely criticized online for his lack of production in this series, especially with his upcoming contract negotiation looming.
However, Sheldon Keefe doesn't think that the criticism is entirely warranted, and stood up for his superstar, complimenting his defensive game against the Bruins top line.
It's clear that this is a big series for Marner. He is about to have a contract negotiation with a new GM, and his current contract is already a massive chunk of the Leafs' cap space. While it may not necessarily play into the analytics of how much Marner is worth, his play in this series will definitely play into how accepting Leaf fans are of another big deal.
