'Something Happened In The Game, I Guess': Mystery Surrounds Mitch Marner's Ailment As Maple Leafs Star Is a Game-Time Decision Against Flames

Marner did not take the ice as the club continued to prepare for the possibility of not playing.

CALGARY — One day after he did not join his teammates for practice, Mitch Marner remained off the ice during the club's morning skate ahead of their game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that the club's leading scorer is a gametime decision, but did not provide any other specifics about the star's ailment that has kept him off the ice for the last two days.

"I don't know. Something happened in the game, I guess," Berube said when asked about what was bothering Marner. "Just not feeling right in certain areas, so we're trying to work on it. Trying to get him ready."

With 16 goals and 54 points this season, Marner has led the way in terms of offense for the Maple Leafs. He also played in all 52 games. Nothing obvious stands out as to what injury or ailment would prevent the star from playing. His triple-deke move on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner held up as the game-winner, as Marned helped the Leafs snap a 3-game losing streak on Saturday.

“Yeah, | had no clue something was going on, but we'll see," Maple Leafs forward William Nylander said about a possible Mitch Marner injury.

Veteran John Tavares held on to some hope that Marner would end up playing.

"To get to this point of the year, 50-plus games, there’s a lot going on obviously, in terms of just the grind and what you go through, and the aches and pains and all that," Tavares said. "(Marner) played great the other night. Hopefully he’s a go tonight.”

The Leafs prepared to be without him by moving Max Domi from center to the wing to skate alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.

"We're pretty familiar with each other," Domi said of skating with Matthews. "We haven't played with each other this year but it's a great opportunity and got to be ready to go."

When Marner missed a month last season due to a reported ankle injury, Domi flourished in top-line spot alongside Matthews. He had a goal and nine assists in the 12 games Marner missed and Domi remained on the top line through to the end of the 2023-24 and 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Domi has struggled to score this season. he has three goals and 16 assists in 44 games this season. He signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension with Toronto last summer.

If Marner cannot play, it looks like the Leafs will abandon the five-forward power play and stick defenseman Morgan Rielly back on the point.

"Well, it's just he's been there, right? For I don't know how long here, but he's played in that situation," Berube said of the change. "And to me, he's the guy that goes there. That's really what it boils down to right now if Mitch's out."

Marner has essentially been the defender playing back in the 5-forward formation and it's hard to replace with any other forward in that spot.

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