Maturing Marner making an impact for Leafs Maple Leafs winger has overcome a slow start to the season to become Toronto’s most consistent forward, Kristen Shilton writes.

Kristen Shilton TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter Follow|Archive

TORONTO – It seems like a long time ago now that anyone used the term “slump” in relation to Mitch Marner.

With six games remaining before the playoffs, the Maple Leafs’ sophomore winger has put many miles between his slow start to the season and carving out a niche as Toronto’s most consistent forward.

Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, Marner is riding a career-best nine-game point streak as he continues to spread his wings as one-third of the Leafs’ checking line.

Marner has been maturing on the ice with the same trademark joie de vivre he applies to just about everything in his life.

“I think he’s growing more into himself on the ice, but he’s still just Mitchy; he’s the same,” said Zach Hyman. ”He’s the funny, goofy kid who is just always positive, always light, always a smile on his face. He just loves playing hockey, loves playing for the Leafs, loves coming to the rink. It’s great being around him.”

Marner came out of the gate this year at a glacial pace. He tallied just two goals over his first 34 games and frequently moved down to the fourth line where ice time would dwindle.

But since Mike Babcock significantly shuffled his lines prior to the Leafs’ game on Jan. 24 and sent Marner to the right side of Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri on Toronto’s shutdown line, the Toronto native has been unstoppable.

His 33 points in the 27 contests since the shakeup is the equivalent of a 100-point pace on the season (Marner is actually at 65 points in 76 games), and on this nine-game hot streak Marner has amassed three goals and nine assists, with at least one helper in his last eight contests.

“You’re playing against the best players every night now, so you have to be ready for that matchup role,” Marner said as a key to his recent success. “It’s been a lot of fun doing that. It’s fun playing against the best players every night and it makes you bring your best.”

Embracing new challenges has extended off the ice for Marner, too. In between playing the best hockey of his young career, Marner found time to star in a series of recent national commercials for Intact Insurance.

Building on his last acting role as a tree in his elementary school production of The Jungle Book, the spots were a chance for Marner to reveal more of his personality, something he's been more apt to share with the media lately as well.

Surrounded by what Hyman calls a “good fusion of older players and younger guys” in the Leafs' dressing room, Marner has found plenty of role models to emulate in his personal and professional growth.

“Well, he’s 20 years old, isn’t he? So, he’s [still just] 20,” said Babcock. “[Marner]’s a good kid, he works hard, has great enthusiasm. I think [Marleau] and [Ron Hainsey] being around, you learn how to be a good pro each and every day and I think that’s the growth that you need – the sooner you get it, the more consistent you are, the better starts to the season you have and the better player you are. The better he is, the better we’re going to be. So his growth and development is real important for us.”

“It is hard work, making sure every day that you’re trying to get better and those things you’re not good at, be working at them,” added Marner. “But at the same time it’s about having fun – this team in here, we have a lot of fun together, we enjoy each other and that helps to keep each other going.”

That can continue in a big way on Wednesday, when the Leafs take on a Florida Panthers team that has not only won five of its last seven games, but that is desperately clinging to hopes of making the postseason.

With eight games left on their schedule, Florida is three points back of the New Jersey Devils for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. The Leafs can relate to the Panthers’ predicament – it was at this time last season that the Leafs were in the same position fighting for their postseason lives.

“We know how that feels and we know how hungry they’re going to be, you have to be ready for it,” said Hyman. “They’re playing playoff hockey right now so it’s good for us too to be going up against that and it’s going to be a good test.”

Maple Leafs projected lineup vs. Florida:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander

Marleau-Kadri-Marner

van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Brown

Johnsson-Plekanec-Kapanen

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Polak

Andersen starts

McElhinney