‘It’s Not Easy Going Through All The Chaos’: Mitch Marner Remains Focused On Maple Leafs’ Success, Inches Three Points Closer To 100-Point Milestone

Apr 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) is congratulated by teammates after he scold a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Mitch Marner inched closer to his first career 100-point season in Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old recorded a goal and two assists in Toronto’s 4-3 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on the road, moving him to 97 points on the season and just three shy of his first-ever 100-point campaign.

However, that’s not where his focus lies. Instead, the Leafs picked up a critical two points after a disappointing effort against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday – and that’s what appears to be top of mind.

“I don’t know. I feel like you guys asked me this last year or something. I really don’t care in a way,” said Marner after the win. “We just want to win games and try to get first in our division. If it happens, it happens, that’s great.”

Marner opened the scoring just 1:13 into the game, the fastest Leafs goal this season, notching his 25th of the year.

Matthew Knies finished the night with three goals, and the Leafs pulled out the win in overtime thanks to his heroics, but Marner had his fingerprints all over the scoresheet. The star winger contributed two assists on Knies’ goals in the first period and the go-ahead marker on the power-play in the final frame.

“It's incredible to go to 100 points. That's really cool. It would be awesome to be a part of it,” Knies explained post-game. “I'm going to try my best to get him there. But he's handled himself like a professional on and off the ice. I think he's been a great teammate and someone the guys love to be around. So it would be a huge milestone for him, and I think everyone would be really happy for him.”

With the three-point night, Marner passed Leafs legend Mats Sundin for the second-most three-point games in franchise history with 66, now trailing only Darryl Sittler’s 90.

The win lifted the Maple Leafs to the 100-point mark in the standings, giving them a three-point advantage over the Lightning and a six-point cushion on the Florida Panthers in the race for the top seed in the Atlantic Division — with four games to go.

With 25 goals and 72 assists, Mitch Marner has reached 97 points in 77 games – matching his point total from the 2021-22 campaign. He came just shy of the century mark again in the 2022-23 season, finishing with 99 points. Marner has flirted with the 100-point milestone multiple times, though he has yet to reach the magic number in his nine-year NHL career.

Matthews and Marner played the most minutes among the Maple Leafs in their loss to San Jose on Thursday evening.

thehockeynews.com'I Don't Want Minutes To Get That High': Why Auston Matthews And Mitch Marner Stayed Off The Ice For Maple Leafs' Optional Practice Matthews and Marner played the most minutes among the Maple Leafs in their loss to San Jose on Thursday evening.

Despite the outside noise and the growing attention surrounding the milestone chase, Marner has kept the focus where it matters most, says teammate and captain Auston Matthews.

“It's not easy going through all the chaos that can be kind of around him and in the season and everything, but I think he's handled everything (well),” said Matthews. “His focus is on hockey. It's on the team, and he's a guy that goes out there and makes a great effort every night, so he's a special player. He's just going to continue to elevate his game here as we go along this final stretch.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs took another step forward towards securing the top spot in the Atlantic Division on Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena.

thehockeynews.com‘There’s Still A Lot On The Line’: Maple Leafs Strengthen Atlantic Division Grip With Crucial Win Over Panthers, Secure Ninth Straight Playoff BerthThe Toronto Maple Leafs took another step forward towards securing the top spot in the Atlantic Division on Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena.

Marner’s recent stretch speaks for itself. He has 14 points (4G, 10A) over his last nine games, picking up points in eight of them. He’s also leading the team in scoring this season, well ahead of the next closest Leaf, William Nylander, who sits at 82 points.

And he’s doing it all in a contract year, with unrestricted free agency looming this summer. There’s added pressure in chasing an achievement like this — all while trying to stay locked in during a tight Atlantic Division race.

“I think he's handling it pretty well,” said head coach Craig Berube after the win. “You just gotta make sure that you're going out there shift to shift and doing what's best for the team. That's the bottom line. And I get he's close to 100. We got guys that are close to certain things, but just do what's best for the team.”

Whether he hits 100 points or not, with four games remaining, Marner and the Leafs have made the priorities clear: win the Atlantic Division.

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.