Keefe wants more from Marner: ‘Hasn’t found his groove here yet’

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe doesn’t think star winger Mitch Marner has consistently looked like himself this season.

“Just not executing at the level that you’d expect from Mitch,” Keefe said Saturday, per TSN. “At times he’s had it. … But, no doubt, Mitch hasn’t found his groove here yet.”

Marner has already been held without a point six times this season, including in four of his last six games. For comparison, he was only held off the scoresheet 14 times in 2022-23, when he racked up a team-leading 99 points (30 goals, 69 assists) in 80 outings.

By no stretch has the 26-year-old been a non-factor offensively this season, though. Marner showed flashes of his usual self while posting back-to-back four-point games against the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning in early November. Heading into Saturday’s action, Marner ranked third on the Maple Leafs with 20 points in 18 games, while his 15 assists are tied with William Nylander for the most on the team.

Nine of his helpers have come on Auston Matthews goals, but Marner’s sniping centerman has struggled to score as of late with just one tally in his last six games. Marner has also had a hard time finding the back of the net, with his last goal coming Nov. 6 against the Bolts, good for a six-game drought.

Keefe wasn’t ecstatic with his top line – consisting of Matthews, Marner, and rookie Matthew Knies – after Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in which the Maple Leafs surrendered a two-goal lead. That unit was on the ice for two goals against at five-on-five and generated just two shots on net, per Natural Stat Trick.

“They’re not making plays; plays are just dying on their sticks,” the bench boss said. “That’s a big part of it. However, we’re one game away from them carrying us offensively against Minnesota in Sweden. They scored two five-on-five goals, they were our best line in that game. So I have to be mindful of that and not just overreact to a game such as last night.

“It certainly has my attention because it’s happening more than I’d like and not positive enough. They’ve been challenged before, they’ve responded.”

Marner and his linemates will have a chance to rebound Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.