TORONTO (Dec. 5) — As of this writing, which began just before noon today, a couple of facts were undeniable: a) the Toronto Maple Leafs sat atop the Atlantic Division with the stingiest defensive club in the Eastern Conference… and b) Mitch Marner was the best hockey player on the planet. You may argue the latter claim, particularly if a fan of the Edmonton Oilers (or, this year, the Minnesota Wild), but there is no disputing that Marner has been on a tear… with five goals and 16 points in the past seven games. Lifting him to within three points of the National Hockey League scoring lead. He mesmerized the overmatched Nashville Predators on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena with another grand performance that yielded assists on all Leaf goals in a 3–2 victory.

At no juncture of his illustrious, regular–season career has Marvelous Mitch dominated to such an extent. Providing more stress for general manager Brad Treliving, who has zero control over his best player’s future. Can you imagine Marner winning the Art Ross Trophy… then waving too–da–loo as an unrestricted free agent in July?

If a you’re Leafs fan, the answer, reluctantly, is “yes”. Remember having to watch Zach Hyman pump in 70 goals (regular season and playoffs) last year for the Oilers, who went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final before losing to Florida? You can probably, therefore, comprehend the calamity of Marner signing elsewhere (maybe with the Panthers… gulp!). How could a team give away such an extraordinary talent and risk having that player join a Division rival? All of these are ominous queries for the Maple Leafs — a club thriving under first–year coach Craig Berube. Yielding only 63 goals in 25 games for a team average of 2.52 (second only to Minnesota, which sits atop the composite NHL standings at 17–4–4 for 38 points). These are defensive numbers that can furnish a Stanley Cup challenge in the spring. With the potential of a goaltending tandem not seen around here since way back in the early 1970’s… when future Hall–of–Famers Jacques Plante and Bernie Parent shared the Toronto crease.

That may seem like embryonic conjecture (which it is) and a gross exxageration (which it is not). In the post–1967 era, only four netminders have stood out for the Blue and White: Mike Palmateer, Felix Potvin, Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour. They appeared in the vast majority of games, alongside such back–ups as Wayne Thomas, Paul Harrison, Darren Puppa, Glenn Healy, Corey Schwab and Trevor Kidd. All competent NHL’ers… but none reminiscient of Plante or Parent. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz have performed superbly for the Leafs nearing the one–third mark of the schedule. As have Treliving’s prime summer acquisitions, Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman–Larsson. Plug in Berube and this Toronto club appears, at the moment, more “real” than its Core–4 predacessors.

With, all eyes, of course, on the final exams next spring.

ANOTHER STAGGERING PERFORMANCE BY MITCH MARNER (ON THE BIG SCREEN DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM) LIFTED THE LEAFS TO A COMEBACK TRIUMPH, WEDNESDAY NIGHT, OVER THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS AT SCOTIABANK ARENA. MARNER ASSISTED ON ALL THREE TORONTO GOALS. HE NOW HAS 16 POINTS IN HIS PAST SEVEN GAMES.

In the meantime, no one but Marner, his agent (Darren Ferris) and his close circle of family and friends is aware of his mindset. He claims to be smitten by his hometown club… yet almost never has a player in his position said “I can’t wait to get the hell out of here.” Some contend Marner is royally pissed at Leafs management for its alleged refusal to offer him a contract similar to that signed by Auston Matthews (four years, $53 million). Such term and salary should be available to Mitch on the open market. But, the Leafs seem rather reluctant to move forward with all of Marner, Matthews and William Nylander. As they should be, given nearly a decade of uninspiring playoff performance by the club leaders. And, of course, amid the ubiquitous salary cap crunch. A quandary for sure.

Re–upping with Marner would commit the Leafs to the Big 3 draft choices from 2014–15–16. Not since Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Borje Salming entered their prime in the mid–70’s have the Leafs possessed as skilled a troika. Yet, the elephant in the room remains. The Sittler–McDonald–Salming Leafs weren’t deep enough to win the Stanley Cup, but they made lots more noise at playoff time than the current group. As befitting Hall–of–Fame inductees, they not only carried over performance from the regular season… but improved exponentially along the way. So did Doug Gilmour. So did Wendel Clark. So did Mats Sundin… and Gary Roberts… Steve Thomas… and others who played for Pat Burns and Pat Quinn. None of Nylander, Marner or Matthews have similarly shone when the stakes increase. Wherein lies the obvious risk of keeping the current posse intact. And, the gripping conundrum: How do you allow Marner to walk? Yet, how can the Leafs ultimately prevail with the Big 3?

JOHN TAVARES DUELS WITH FORMER LEAF RYAN O’REILLY ON THE OPENING FACEOFF TO WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S ENCOUNTER WITH NASHVILLE. TAVARES WAS FLANKED BY LINE–MATES MITCH MARNER (16) AND PONTUS HOLMBERG.

Remaining status quo became even more tantalizing on Wednesday night. Though the opponent — Nashville — was easily the most–disappointing club in the NHL, the Leafs awoke from a sleepy 40 minutes and completely dominated the third period. At previous times, even earlier this season, the club would continue in cruise control and drop another midweek home game against an uncommon opponent. It’s been a Toronto hockey pandemic for as long as most can recall. Instead, Berube coaxed his charges into taking control of the match. Matthews and Marner were untouchable, as the Leafs scored three goals (Matthews…Matthews…Nylander) in the first 5:06 of the final frame. Against an elite netminder, Juuse Saros. It was no contest once the big wheels in blue and white started rolling. Mark Jankowski scored for Nashville with 3:22 left, but Berube’s defenders performed staunchly and the Predators did not threaten to tie the match — even with Saros on the bench for an extra attacker.

It was textbook hockey by the home team in the final 20 minutes.

So, what to do if you are Treliving and club president Brendan Shanahan? Marner seems en route to a career season in a contract year. With a perennially unbalanced, top–heavy club that withers in the Stanley Cup chase.

Berube has the team playing more structured in all areas of the ice than did Sheldon Keefe or Mike Babcock.

Perhaps there is something at work here.

Knowing the Leafs, they are likely moving heaven and earth to get Mitch’s name on a contract extension. To hell with playoffs past; maybe the new coach; the veteran defenders and the unforeseen goaltending brilliance can finally crack the code. Management has been yearning this throughout the Core–4 era… whistling past the graveyard, in my opinion, by standing pat after the 2021 playoff embarrassment against Montreal. But, it’s obvious why the high rollers at Scotiabank Arena are torn. In the past three weeks, while accruing a 10–2–0 record, the Leafs have been neck–and–neck with Minnesota as the best team in the NHL. During that 12–game stretch, the club has permitted all of 24 goals. For easy math. Could this (deep swallow) actually be a “different” Leafs team than the other prolific, regular–season versions? Don’t forget, Leafs Nation was awash in euphoria after the club went 12–2 in November 2021. Then 11–1–3 the following November. This time of year has traditionally be kind to the Leafs. Only for the playoffs to end frustratingly. Time after time. Regardless of changes around the club nucleus.

Which must be playing havoc with the circulatory systems of Shanahan and Treliving. There is no obvious choice. Not after the foreboding fliperoos of the spring. And, not after watching Marner perform his magic against the Predators. Sadly for the Maple Leafs, the choice is beyond their domain. To keep or not to keep is a rhetorical question; Mitch makes the final call. And, none of us, no matter how well–connected, can foresee the outcome.

I attended Wednesday night’s game with my son, Shane, who turns 28 tomorrow. My only appearance at SBA since March 2022, when the Seattle Kraken arrived for the first time. The surroundings are still uber–familiar, even more than 13 years after my radio career. Here are some additional photos from my trusty NIKON:

LOTS OF TORONTO SPORTS HISTORY DANGLES FROM THE STEEL SKELETON OF THE ARENA: FOUR LEGENDARY MAPLE LEAFS AND CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS FROM BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY. IT’S A HANDSOME DISPLAY.

 
THE PREDATORS STRUCK FIRST AGAINST JOSEPH WOLL: JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT CONNECTING (TOP–RIGHT) AT 5:06 OF THE FIRST PERIOD. THE VISITORS WOULD NOT SCORE AGAIN UNTIL 16:38 OF THE FINAL FRAME. MATTHEWS BORE DOWN IN THE FACEOFF CIRCLE (BOTTOM–LEFT) AGAINST MARK JANKOWSKI, WHILE STEVEN STAMKOS (91, BOTTOM–RIGHT) CHAIRED A LATE–GAME MEETING OF VETERANS WITH ROMAN JOSI AND RYAN O’RIELLY.

 

ONCE THESE FELLAS GOT MOVING, IT WAS LIGHTS OUT FOR NASHVILLE. LEFT TO RIGHT: MITCH MARNER (16), MATTHEW KNIES (23), WILLIAM NYLANDER (88), JOHN TAVARES (91) AND AUSTON MATTHEWS (34). THE CORE–4 PLUS ONE.

MY OLD SCHOOL FRIEND, ROBIN LASTMAN (nee DIAMOND), MAY KILL ME FOR THIS. ROBIN (IN KHAKI COAT) SAT WITH HUSBAND, DALE (SON OF TORONTO’S FORMER MAYOR, MEL LASTMAN). IN FRONT OF LEAFS CHAIRMAN LARRY TANENBAUN AND WIFE, JUDY. THE EXECUTIVE FOURSOME SEEMED RATHER DISTRACTED. ONLY ROBIN, IN THE MIDDLE PHOTO, WAS LOOKING TOWARD THE ICE. 😛 DALE HAS LONG BEEN COUNSEL FOR TANENBAUM AND THE LEAFS.

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM