Marner talks being in present, Maple Leafs' playoff hopes in Q&A with NHL.com

TORONTO -- The only future Mitch Marner is concentrating on right now is helping to bring a Stanley Cup parade to Toronto this summer, not what his fate will be come the opening of NHL free agency July 1.

There has been a narrative in this city heading into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN2) that this could be the last dance for the Maple Leafs' so-called Core Four forwards of Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares, especially if they experience another listless opening-round exit.

Marner is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, igniting speculation whether the band will break up if another disappointing postseason plays out. Toronto has won one playoff series in 21 years, a source of frustration for Marner, Matthews, Nylander and Tavares, who have been together since 2018-19.

The 27-year-old arguably is coming off the best season of his NHL career, including a personal best 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists), regular shifts on the power play and penalty kill, a brief stint on defense, and a memorable 4 Nations Face-Off performance with Canada when he scored the overtime winner against Sweden, then set up Connor McDavid for the tournament winner against the United States.

His value certainly hasn’t been lost on Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, who will have a significant say as to whether Marner returns.

"His points are certainly deserving of the press,” Treliving said. “There was a stretch where we had a lot of guys out. It was November, maybe, December. And Mitch really held the fort for us …

“There was a stretch there where he really kept things on the rails for us. And to me, that's sort of a microcosm of his year. He's been a leader. He's been a top player. And I think he's in a real good spot.”

On the eve of his ninth consecutive spring competing in the playoffs, Marner took time out from his postseason preparations for a 1-on-1 discussion with NHL.com, ranging from the Battle of Ontario, to the noise swirling around his contract status, to the confidence he gained from being one of Canada’s top performers at the 4 Nations in February:

First off, you’ve repeatedly made it clear about not focusing on contract talk, whether this is your last hurrah with Toronto, and that the goal is to win a Stanley Cup with the hometown Maple Leafs, the team you grew up cheering for. That hasn't stopped this marketplace from making your future a hot topic. How do you shut out all the noise?

“I’m very fortunate to have the family and friends I do around me. I mean, my wife (Stephanie) has been 100 percent a massive help in that regards, just with mental health and staying positive and staying in the moment. My family and her family have been there for me every moment too. And I’ve been talking to a lot of mental coaches too, just staying strong and not focusing on anything on the outside. I mean, you can’t focus on that. You can only focus on your play, how you do. And I think that’s what I’ve tried to do all year, just focusing on myself and how to help this team win games. Regardless if its offensively or defensively, be who I am. I grew up dreaming of what it would be like to win a Cup here and that hasn’t changed.”

Have the past postseason struggles put more pressure on you and your teammates, if at all?

“I don’t think we care about any of that. We’re not focused on what people are saying on the outside, just on what we need to do. It’s going to be a grind. There are going to be ups and downs. You’ve got to stay together and stick through it and be there to pick each other up.”

How have you changed, on the ice and off, since your rookie season of 2016-17? And how are you able to hit reset after all the previous postseason disappointments along the way?

“I’ve changed a lot, obviously. And I try not to focus on past experiences. You can’t change anything, as much as you want to. It’s just not possible. That’s how the world works. So try not to focus as much on the past. But obviously, I think the excitement level and the butterflies are the same as when I first started in this league and first experienced the playoffs. Yeah, there are some things different. My wife and I are expecting our first child shortly, so really looking forward to that and becoming a dad and sharing that with my family. But yeah, same excitement level as the very first time I walked into the playoffs.”

How is this team different from the past ones that have experienced playoff frustrations? And how much of a change in that is due to first-year Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube?

“I think 'Chief' helps. I think just his calmness and his steadiness that you know is going to come. He knows it’s not going to be easy, it’s not always going to be beautiful, it’s not going to be perfect every single night or every single shift. And that’s why you’ve got to lean on other people, other guys on this team. And I think that’s what we’ve done so well over this past year, is just lean on one another, pick each other up. You know, some big moments from big time players. And our D-corps has been unreal the whole year as well, blocking big shots and making plays.”

Speaking of big moments, you had a couple on the big stage in the 4 Nations, from scoring the OT winner against Sweden to setting up McDavid in the final. Those are career-defining moments. How much confidence did you get from that, and has that given you a different vibe heading into another playoff year?

“Maybe a little bit. I mean, I think you think back to that if you’re in a bit of a shell shock or a hole. But I think you always try to have that confidence in yourself, to know that you’re the type of player that loves big moments and can have an impact on the play on both sides of the puck. It’s certainly moments that you can look back on and know you can come through when needed.”

You were just a kid growing up in the Toronto area when the Maple Leafs and Senators were meeting in the playoffs four times in five seasons from 2000-2004. Do you remember those Battle of Ontarios, even though you were very young, and how stoked are you to now be part of one yourself?

“It was a long time ago. Just the excitement of me and my dad (Paul) sitting around the TV, ready to watch every single game, and just the excitement we had to cheer on the Leafs. And how much it brought my family together. It was always so much fun. I remember watching games with my dad at home and just talking hockey. Obviously at the time I wasn’t too experienced with everything so it’s really cool to hear his impact, and now he still likes to do the same types of things.”

Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle are among the top three players in penalties drawn in the NHL this season. How important is your penalty kill going to be?

“Obviously it starts with staying out of the box as much as possible. Make plays around the net as much as possible, the quick little plays that can thwart their big guys. Just make sure we’re communicating out there, talking a lot, trying to clear our zone as much as possible. And try to limit the back-door plays and plays down low.”

What makes this city so special during the playoffs?

“Like I mentioned earlier, just the vibe, the excitement, the passion. Very fortunate to play in a market that has that.”

Finally, you were asked earlier today about growing a playoff beard or a mustache, something that hasn’t come easy to you in the past. Are you more confident now after all these years in your ability to do it?

“Yeah, well, hopefully it’ll be a longer run so it has more time to grow. We’ll see how it goes.”