NHL: Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn — Maple Leafs' forward Mitch Marner talks about playing on defense (Source: Imagn)

"I like it back there": Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner addresses playing shifts on defense in shutout win over Habs

Modified Apr 13, 2025 10:42 GMT

Mitch Marner explained his defensive shifts as he played a two-way role in Saturday's 1-0 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward scored the only goal 36 seconds into overtime, but his performance wasn't just limited to the goal.

Due to injuries, several Maple Leafs players were out of the lineup, leaving the Leafs were short on defensemen. Marner was asked to play some shifts on defense, a role he’s comfortable with.

After the win, Marner explained that he enjoys playing defense.

"I like it back there," Marner said on Saturday (1:05). "I think I expressed that to you guys last year. I don't feel lost or uncomfortable back there. I try to just not make it difficult on myself, try to make easy, quick plays. I enjoy it back there when I get the chance to play D, to be honest."

Before the game, coach Craig Berube hinted that Mitch Marner might play defense. Marner played some shifts on the blue line and was paired with Leafs' newly acquired D-man Brandon Carlo in the offensive zone.

Marner is known for being a skilled two-way forward. He has stepped in as a defenseman in the past, especially in difficult situations. He also plays on Toronto's five-forward power-play unit.

"He was fine," Berube said post-game. "Not a lot happened with it. He was on defense in overtime, too, but I mean .... he’s a smart player. He knows how to play the position and understands the game extremely well."

In the win, Mitch Marner played 26:29 minutes. With 26 goals this season, he’s on track for his first 100-point year. Marner is in the last year of a six-year, $65.408 million contract signed it with Leafs in September 2019.

Brandon Carlo talked about playing with Mitch Marner and others

Brandon Carlo also talked about playing on a line with Mitch Marner and around other Maple Leafs forwards like William Nylander, Auston Matthews and John Tavares.

“Kind of reminded me of when I was younger, being on the ice for a penalty kill with a lot of the top guys on the ice," Carlo said via Yahoo News.

"I almost felt out of place being out there with Marner, Willy, A-Matts. ... It’s fun. I enjoyed the opportunity to play on the left side a little bit and felt like we did pretty good,”

Since joining the Maple Leafs from the Boston Bruins, Carlo has played solid defense for the Leafs and has also contributed two assists.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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