2016-17 Rookie Spotlight: Mitch Marner

Welcome to another 2016-17 Rookie Spotlight, where I will be looking at rookies making their NHL debut during the 2016-17 season. Today we look at Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Name: Mitch Marner

Age: 19

Size: 6ft 170 lbs

Hometown: Markham, ON, Canada

Jersey #: 16

Drafted: 1st Round 4th Overall in 2015 draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs

Position: Right wing

Junior Team: London Knights (OHL)

2016-17 stats: GP 31 G 8 A 15 Pts 23

Comparable NHL players: Patrick Kane

-Mitch Marner might just turn out to be the best players from the 2015 NHL draft. This kid is that good. He is mature way beyond his years, and has the talent which rivals that of former London Knight Patrick Kane. His Hockey IQ is phenomenal, his junior coach Dale Hunter stated this about Marner:

“He has a hockey mind. You watch him and you see he’s always thinking. And he’s thinking at full speed. He’s one of those kids, he knew the answers when you asked him and, more than that, he knew them on the ice. He knew how to play D. He knew how to create O. If we were down a goal, we’d put him on. And if we were up a goal late, we put him on. He played in every situation for us.”

That pretty high praise, from a very stoic coach. Marner is a very creative player, with exceptional vision and poise. Alongside Austin Matthews, Toronto has a duo that could eventually rival that of Chicago's Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Just take a look:

That is some pretty impressive moves!

Some might say Marner is undersized, and that might be true. However, Patrick Kane never let that deter him, and Marner is around the same size as him. Marner is still very early in his career, but things look promising so far. He is definitely a player to keep an eye on, and will be a contender for this years Calder Trophy.