'I Feel Fine, Not Awesome': Maple Leafs' Kirill Marchenko Looking To Push Through What He Thinks Isn't His Best Form

Kirill Marchenko is expecting more from himself in terms of his performance with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite being third on the team in points, he stressed that this isn't the best he can be and continues to push for his best with each passing day.

"I feel fine, not awesome," Marchenko said after morning skate in preparation to host the Buffalo Sabres. "I know I can play better for sure. And I just try to grow up every day, focus on small details and just work here. It's an unbelievable group of guys and everybody. Good skill and great guys who help me. It's nice, just focus on myself right now, on my game and try to be better."

In his first seven games with the Maple Leafs, Marchenko has one goal and six points. Only William Nylander and Auston Matthews have scored more, with 12 points each.

With Marchenko's production not being completely concerning, what areas does he think he could be better at?

"It's a good question, if I start to explain to you, it takes an hour," Marchenko said. "Yeah, it's just kind of everywhere, everywhere a little bit. It's more about thinking on the game and just everywhere. Everywhere, everywhere a little bit."

The 26-year-old Russian has been playing alongside Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic on the top line for the majority of this season. But there appears to be a different look to the lineup following the team's first road trip of the year, and he'll get a chance with John Tavares and Nick Paul on the second line.

Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller understands that Marchenko has gone through a lot since the team acquired him one day before the season opener.

"It's been a lot for him," Hiller admitted. "He cares deeply about his game, about being a good teammate. I'm trying to not put too much pressure on him as he's adjusting."

In the past, with the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Marchenko is still on pace for one of his better seasons in the NHL, he would be able to dominate on some nights. Hiller thinks that because of that, Marchenko is putting more pressure on himself to be that kind of player in Toronto.

"He's putting a lot of pressure on himself, because he wants to do so well," the Leafs bench boss said. "I think he's used to probably being a little bit more dangerous, so maybe that's the pressure he's putting on himself. We just want him to be a good all-around player. We know his skill he's going to score, he's going to create chances. We just want to get him comfortable and feeling like he understands the systems, and then he can just go out and play."

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