London Knights forward Mitch Marner collected the Red Tilson Trophy Tuesday as the Ontario Hockey League’s outstanding player and, as he usually is, Marner’s brother, Chris, was there to back him up.

“He’s been by my side for everything that I’ve done,” said Mitch Marner as he collected the last trophy in a season that has been filled with individual and team success. “When anything bad happened to me in school, when we were younger, he was my big brother, he took care of me. He was always there in every way a brother can be.”

The brothers Marner — Chris, 23, and Mitch, 19 — have carried a bond since childhood. They grew up playing road hockey at their Thornhill home, and that developed to the point where older brother protected younger brother. They even developed rivalries, although Chris admits “it was more in track in field.”

Chris Marner, now a butcher, travelled to Red Deer to take in the Knights’ Memorial Cup run. Father Paul, who sells auto parts, and mother Bonnie, who recently retired from the Ontario Power Generation, were also there as London completed a 17-game undefeated run to end its season.

Chris, as always, kept up contact via text, or had one of his big shoulders ready for his younger brother, if needed.

“Sometimes it’s tough when he’s on the ice and I’m not,” Chris Marner said. “But we’re always talking, and I wouldn’t say much has changed that way over the years. We still have a tight bond, I’m always there for him and he’s always there for me.”

Mitch Marner has learned from that bond. The Maple Leafs’ first-round pick last June, he stressed the importance of team in his 2015-16 season.

“To be successful, you need your team behind you and you need to be behind your team,” he said. “That’s the most important thing I learned from all of this, and it’s the thing I want to take away from this season.”

Mitch Marner is obvously very high on the radar of every Leaf fan. He’s expected to join the Leafs as a 19-year-old next fall, as part of a promising injection of youth. He will spend his summer working on his strength training. His older brother will be there to help again, if needed.

“I saw (the Leafs) the other day,” Mitch Marner said, “and it’s just making sure I do the things it takes to make the NHL. The off-season, there’s not much left in it now, so you have to get to work.”

Marner will actually hit the gym Monday, a quick turnaround from the Memorial Cup celebrations. Even though Marner amassed about as much success and recognition as there is available for a junior player, the summer is no place to boast or celebrate.

Already, Leafs coach Mike Babcock has discussed Marner on a line with Auston Matthews, who is expected to be the player the Leafs pick with their first overall selection in the NHL draft later this month.

“I’ll be at the facility (MasterCard Centre, training under the Leafs’ new sport sciences department). It’s up to them, but it’s work,” Marner said. “You have to just get to work.”

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