Mitch Marner's struggles on the power play can be solved by changing one detail
The Leafs returned to action this past Saturday against the Ottawa Senators after a forced hiatus due to COVID-19. Along with that, star forward Mitch Marner made his return to the lineup after missing time with a shoulder injury.
Marner was back in his regular spot in the lineup, playing on the top line with Matthews and Bunting and on the Leafs' first power play unit. The power play was red hot when Marner was out of the lineup and the only goal it generated against Ottawa was by Ilya Mikheyev, who plays on the second unit. Seeing the lack of success of PP1 against Ottawa, it begs the question: should the Leafs be concerned about Mitch Marner's power play production?
I think the biggest concern with Marner with the man advantage is that as talented of a player as he is, he is not a real shooting threat. Marner plays on the half-wall or in the bumper position, but because of his reputation for being a playmaker and his weaker shot, it allows teams to cheat the other way a little and neutralize Matthews' shot by being in position before the puck even gets to him.
It's become commonplace among the Leafs' fanbase to criticize Marner and demand that he be removed from PP1 because, well, the power play seems to score more goals when Marner isn't on the ice. The other issue is that Marner is too talented of a player to not be on PP1, so what's the solution?
Marner is one of the best playmakers in hockey. Unfortunately, the Leafs have him in a spot on the powerplay that isn't suited for him. Having Marner's speed and vision below the goal line rather than on the flank or in the bumper position would allow the Leafs to have more weaponized sticks around the net.
Since the threat of Marner's playmaking is far superior to his shooting abilities, playing the 24-year-old behind the net would draw defenders down lower and would open up space for Matthews and Nylander to shoot the puck, leaving Tavares open for deflections and rebounds.
It's not Marner's abilities that are a concern for the Leafs with the man advantage, but rather his usage. Moving him behind the net could create more offense for both himself and the team. Hopefully the coaching staff realizes this and makes the move that will get Marner going on the power play and appease those who believe he doesn't belong there.
