The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman has struggled through his first 13 games of the season. Head coach Sheldon Keefe says the player is injured and working through some things. Mitch Marner was quick to shut down the dialogue. During a power-play drill on Thursday, Morgan Rielly took a shot from the point that hit Marne [https://www.tsn.ca/video/marner-rielly-laugh-off-heated-practice-moment%7e2814270]r. When TSN's Mark Masters broached the incident following Thursday's practice, Marner was quick to dismiss it. "We're not getting into that, are we? There's nothing. I'm joking with him all day," Marner insisted. "Nothing happened. It was fine. We were joking and having fun with each other, that's what we do." After the friendly fire incident, Marner shot a puck along the boards in frustration. Rielly then came over to Marner and the two players began a brief but heated exchange of words. "Mark, ask him (Rielly) the same question you asked me. I need him to answer too. Listen to this one, you're going to laugh," Marner said as he watched Rielly speak next. "No I'm not, I'm going to answer it," Rielly said. Masters proceeded to ask about the incident. But before Rielly could answer, Marner interjected. "That was the question. I said nothing went on. I said I was chirping you about that shot and we were having a good laugh and we're buddies." With a smile, Rielly's response. "No one was mad at all." It's not the first time Marner has reacted to an incident that took place in practice before. Marner was on the receiving end of a collision [https://thehockeynews.com/news/maple-leafs-rielly-marner-kase-and-woll-game-time-decisions-against-wild] with friend and teammate Jake Muzzin at a practice on Dec. 3, 2021. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6BNRrbDIg8[/embed] Marner sustained a shoulder injury as a result of the collision and missed a month of action. So it's understandable why he'd be a bit sensitive to anything that can injure him in practice. The forward has five goals and 15 assists in 17 games this season. Rielly is off to one of his best starts to a season with three goals and 12 assists in 17 games. The two players have been reunited on the team's top power-play after defenseman John Klingberg went down with what is believed to be a hip injury. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Why the Maple Leafs Placed John Klingberg on Long-Term Injured Reserve and Called Up Alex Steeves From the Marlies [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/why-the-maple-leafs-placed-john-klingberg-on-lti-and-called-up-alex-steeves-from-the-marlies] 'The News Has Been Positive So Far': Maple Leafs' Calle Jarnkrok to Join Club on Trip to Chicago After Missing Practice and Will be a 'Game-Time Decision' [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/the-news-has-been-positive-so-far-maple-leafs-calle-jarnkrok-to-join-club-on-trip-to-chicago-after-missing-practice-and-will-be-a-game-time-decision] 'As A Dad, It's Just An Important Message For Kids': Why Mark Giordano Felt It Was Necessary to Wear a Neck Guard at Practice and Why Others Maple Leafs May Follow Suit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/as-a-dad-its-just-an-important-message-for-kids-why-mark-giordano-felt-it-was-necessary-to-wear-a-neck-guard-at-practice-and-others-maple-leafs-may-follow-suit] News from THN.com Three NHL Players Resisting Father Time in 2023-24 [https://thehockeynews.com/news/three-nhl-players-resisting-father-time-in-2023-24] THN On The 'E': Funny ECHL Jersey Stories Following Viral Video in Toledo [https://thehockeynews.com/podcast/thn-on-the-e-funny-echl-jersey-stories-following-viral-video-in-toledo] NHL Injury Ripple Effects: Taylor Hall and John Klingberg Out, Andrei Vasilevskiy In [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-injury-ripple-effects-taylor-hall-and-john-klingberg-out-andrei-vasilevskiy-in]
