NHL EDGE stats behind Marner's breakout postseason in 2026

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we identify some key advanced metrics behind Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner.

Mitch Marner had a breakthrough Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Vegas Golden Knights, and his elite underlying metrics helped him lead the entire 2026 postseason in points.

The 29-year-old set a franchise record for points in a single postseason (29 in 22 games), far surpassing his previous-best playoff point total (14 in 11 games with Toronto Maple Leafs during 2023 postseason). The Golden Knights, who acquired and signed Marner this past offseason, made their third Stanley Cup Final since joining the NHL in 2017-18; the Maple Leafs won a combined two rounds in Marner's nine postseasons with the team.

Marner also scored 10 goals this postseason (fourth in NHL), more than tripling his previous career high (three in 2023 with Toronto), highlighted by the fastest hat trick (6:10) in Stanley Cup Final history in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

NHL EDGE IQ insights: Marner's highlight-reel goal against the Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Cup Final had a "Projected Goal Rate" (PGR) of 58.56 percent, making it the highest-probability inferenced shot attempt of that game. It was the highest PGR among goals scored on offensive zone plays this postseason, with Marner's crafty move and nifty shot helping him beat Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen. Inferenced shot attempts exclude shots greater than 60 feet, those beyond the goal line and empty-net attempts.

Marner had some other huge moments this postseason; he set up Brett Howden for a shorthanded overtime goal against the Utah Mammoth in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round, scored the series-clinching goal against the Mammoth in Game 6 of that series, had another hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the Second Round, then scored another highlight-reel goal in Game 6 to help clinch that series, and had the primary assist on two of Vegas' five unanswered goals during their comeback win in Game 3 of the Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche.

Including points, Marner also led or co-led the NHL in the following categories during the 2026 playoffs:

• Points (29)
• Primary assists (14)
• Shorthanded points (4)
• Multipoint games (8)
• Three-point games (4)
• Four-point games (2)
• Hat tricks (2)
• Road points (17)

Marner was a key part of Canada’s 2025 4 Nations Face-Off championship and silver-medal team at the 2026 Winter Olympics; he scored the overtime goal against Sweden at 4 Nations and had the primary assist on Connor McDavid’s championship-winning goal in overtime against the United States last year. Marner also scored an overtime goal against Czechia in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Olympics to help Canada advance to the medal round.

But, prior to joining Vegas this past offseason, Marner had yet to reach his full potential during previous postseasons with Toronto. Prior to this postseason, Marner had 63 points (13 goals, 50 assists) in 70 career postseason games with the Maple Leafs. This postseason, Marner exceeded his previous career playoff totals in multigoal games, power-play goals, shorthanded points and face-off wins.

Here are some key underlying reasons behind Marner's playoff success:

1 . Shots by location

Marner finished tied for fourth in high-danger goals this postseason (six). Over his previous four postseasons combined since the start of the puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22), Marner had only one high-danger goal.

Marner also saw a significant uptick in high-danger shots on goal compared to last postseason; he had 21 high-danger shots on goal (tied for fourth in NHL) this postseason (his highest total of tracking era) compared to six high-danger shots on goal in 20 playoff games over the previous two seasons combined. Vegas, as a team, led the NHL in both high-danger goals (43) and high-danger shots on goal (179) this postseason.

Marner also more than quadrupled his midrange shots on goal total (17 during 2026 playoffs) compared to last postseason (four).

2. Offensive zone time percentage

Marner had his best offensive zone time percentage (44.1) in a single postseason since 2022. By comparison, Marner had an offensive zone time percentage of 40.2 percent for Toronto during the 2025 playoffs.

Marner is also dominated other key possession metrics; he was third among Vegas forwards in both 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (50.0; minimum 10 games played) and 5-on-5 shot attempts per 60 minutes (14.15) during the playoffs. With the help of Marner's supporting cast of past Stanley Cup champions Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore and others and the guidance of veteran coach John Tortorella (hired March 29), Marner reached another level this postseason.

3. Shot and skating speed

This postseason, Marner had the hardest shot resulting in a goal by a forward at 91.44 mph; that was his hardest shot attempt of the entire season (regular season or playoffs) and his hardest since Jan. 11, 2023 with the Maple Leafs (91.45 mph).

Marner also set his fastest playoffs max skating speed (21.70 mph) of the puck and player tracking era against the Mammoth in Game 6 of the first round. He finished the postseason with 17 speed bursts of at least 20 mph in 22 games; he had seven speed bursts of at least 20 mph in 20 games over the previous two postseasons combined.