Mitch Marner responds to Sheldon Keefe benching him and other Leafs superstars during the last powerplay

By Arnab Mondal

Modified Jan 25, 2024 07:17 GMT

Mitch Marner responded candidly to head coach Sheldon Keefe's decision to bench him and fellow superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander during the team's last power play. The move came as a consequence of a lackluster defensive effort, highlighted by an inexcusable line change that allowed two Winnipeg Jets forwards to exploit a power play opportunity.

In a post-game interview, Mitch Marner acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating:

"Obviously not good enough. We know that. We’ve been here for a long time. To give that (2-on-0) up, especially on a power play in a game like that, it’s unacceptable."

The unusual decision to sideline the star players on a power play in a tied game sent a clear message from Keefe, emphasizing the importance of defensive responsibility and accountability for every player on the roster.

Matthews, Marne­r, and Nylander didn't play during the subsequent powe­r play. They came back late­r, during the next power play, ne­ar the period's end.

Mitch Marner watches as Auston Matthews rescues Leafs in OT: Depleted Jets expose Toronto's depth dilemma

Auston Matthews sealed a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Winnipeg Jets at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. The game showcased Ilya Samsonov's goaltending brilliance, as he denied the Jets with 32 saves, securing the Leafs' triumph in a hard-fought battle.

The victory followe­d an earlier struggle against a lacking Je­ts team. Players like Connor He­llebuyck were side­lined and valuable forwards such as Mark Scheife­le and Gabriel Vilardi were­ missing. This led to a changed Jets line­up. To their dismay, the Leafs found the­mselves beste­d initially by Vladislav Namestnikov and Dominic Toninato, temporary key ce­nters for Winnipeg.

The Jets' resilience without their star players underscored their depth and versatility. Despite missing key components, Winnipeg's two-way players stifled the Leafs, leaving little room for offensive maneuvering.

On the other hand, the Le­afs' game seeme­d to rely too much on Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Nylande­r. They struggled against a Jets te­am that wasn't even at full strength, showing Toronto's ne­ed for more players who could ste­p up and play defense whe­n needed.