The Toronto Maple Leafs are navigating an intriguing challenge this season: with Auston Matthews sidelined by injury, the team has needed players to step up in new ways. Mitch Marner, traditionally a pass-first playmaker, has increased his shooting frequency and shown he can adapt his game when necessary.
Related: 3 Maple Leafs Who Need to Get Back on Track in 2025
This raises an interesting question: could Marner evolve into a reliable point shooter on the power play? Let’s break it down.
The Maple Leafs’ Problem: A Missing Weapon on the Power Play
The Maple Leafs’ power play has been potent in recent years, but it’s been missing a consistent player who will shoot from the point. A booming shot from the blue line can force penalty killers to spread out, opening up passing lanes and creating chaos in front of the net. While players like Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have been effective quarterbacks, the team lacks a genuine threat to blast one-timer from the point.
Related: What Does Oliver Ekman-Larsson Bring to the Toronto Maple Leafs?
With Marner’s exceptional hockey IQ, defensive awareness, and growing confidence in his shot, could he be the answer? Or does this role stretch him beyond his strengths? Coming into the season, he was known as a puck distributor. He was a pass-first-and-shoot-second sort of guy. But with Matthews out, he’s showing his propensity to play a more scoring kind of office. He’s been shooting, and it’s been working.
The Case for Marner as the Maple Leafs’ Point Shooter
Marner’s increased shooting confidence is one of the biggest reasons I would consider him for this role. With Matthews out, he has taken on more of a scoring role, showing he can adapt when needed. He can morph his game and has had success this season. His defensive reliability also makes him a strong candidate for playing the point, as he could help the team maintain possession and recover loose pucks.
Furthermore, his deceptive ability to alternate between shooting and threading a pass would keep the opposition’s penalty killers guessing. He could make the power play less predictable if he were at the point. Using Marner in this position could also create opportunities for other forwards, like William Nylander or John Tavares, to play closer to the net and diversify the attack.
The Case Against Marner as a Point Shooter
However, there are notable challenges. Marner lacks the raw shot power of traditional point shooters like Dustin Byfuglien, Shea Weber, Evan Bouchard, or even Tyson Barrie. Those players can (or could, in the case of Byfuglien and Weber) fire the puck! His lack of an extremely hard shot could limit his effectiveness in consistently beating goalies from a distance. Still, he’s smart enough to get the puck through the defense on the goalie.
Marner’s natural pass-first instincts might also make it difficult for him to embrace this role. He’s clever with the puck but can also be rattled in high-pressure situations. Who wouldn’t be? Asking him to handle defensive responsibilities at the blue line while maintaining his offensive playmaking might overburden him, potentially diminishing his impact elsewhere. Additionally, the Maple Leafs might already have better-suited options, such as the aforementioned Rielly or Ekman-Larsson, who offer a more traditional combination of shooting ability and defensive skills.
The Pros and Cons of Mitch Marner as a Power Play Point Shooter
| Criteria | For Marner at the Point | Against Marner at the Point |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting Ability | His increased confidence and frequency, deceptive shot-pass versatility | He lacks the raw shot power to score consistently from the point. |
| Defensive Reliability | His strong hockey IQ and defensive awareness make him reliable at the blue line. | Marner could be overburdened with dual offensive and defensive responsibilities. |
| Creativity | Marner can disguise intentions and keep penalty- killers guessing. | Marner might revert to pass-first instincts in high-pressure moments. |
| Team Dynamics | Marner’s vision could open up opportunities for other forwards near the net. | Other players like Ekman-Larsson or Rielly might be better natural fits. |
Could Marner at the Point Be an Experiment With an Upside?
Marner as a power-play point shooter isn’t a perfect fit, but it’s an idea worth exploring—particularly during Matthews’ absence. His growing confidence as a shooter and ability to rethink and adapt his game suggests he could bring a unique skill set to the role, even if it doesn’t become his primary position. He’s one of the sharpest knives in the drawer. It would be nice to see if he can figure it out.
Perhaps, instead of committing him to the blue line full-time, the Maple Leafs could rotate Marner to the point during specific power plays. The coaching staff could test his effectiveness without overburdening him – sheltered minutes, so to speak. If Marner commits to this role, he could work with coaches to develop a harder, more consistent shot from the point, adding a new dimension to his game.
Rather than turning him into a pure shooter, the Maple Leafs could leverage Marner’s versatility to create dynamic plays from the blue line, blending passes and quick releases to keep defenders guessing.
There are potential benefits and challenges of trying out Marner in this role. Whether the experiment works, it would be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs could innovate and adapt as the season progresses. Marner’s growing into different roles. Perhaps it’s time to see how far the talented forward can push his own natural boundaries.
