Mitch Marner has been called many things by both Vegas Golden Knights fans and Toronto Maple Leafs fans alike. For Golden Knights fans and Marner stans, they’ve called him “Magic.” The Marner stans have leaned more into the fandom, calling him affectionate names like “Our little princess.”
As for the Maple Leafs fans who were mad over his departure? Just imagine every expletive in the book. Just add some burning jerseys and you get the picture. But the new name that Golden Knights fans and Maple Leafs fans should start calling him is “Record holder.”
Mitch Marner etched his name into the Golden Knights’ history books after logging his 20th point of the season in just 18 games, making him the fastest player in franchise history to do so! ⚔️
Marner was the fastest player in Golden Knights history to hit 20 points, doing so in 18 games. The former “Core Four” member has four goals and 16 assists this season. He’s on pace for 18 goals and 73 assists, marking one of the best seasons (potentially) in Golden Knights history.
Over the summer, the winger signed an eight-year, $12 million AAV deal with the Golden Knights. Initially, he was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to Vegas for Nicolas Roy, who currently has… one goal and three assists.
Mind you, he’s part of the long list of Maple Leafs injuries that has plagued the Original Six franchise this season. Talk about your double whammys, eh?
Of course, you already knew this. It’s easy to win a trade when it’s Nicolas Roy going out for Mitch Marner. However, the point totals prove that this has become a bigger blowout than people realized.
Having five times the point total and setting the franchise record with your new club? That’s making an impressive impact that fans will remember for years. It’s a testament to the bold, yet calculated, moves that the Golden Knights have made over the years.
Mind you, this wasn’t the best summer for McCrimmon, either. Colton Sissons only has one assist and fans are turning on Jeremy Lauzon for his excessive penalties. When in doubt, have Marner so you can travel.
But let’s focus on the record for a second. His record shows that he’s fitting in seamlessly with the Golden Knights. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the top line or if he’s bumped down to playing with Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev. The Markham native has slid into the Golden Knights’ offense and has run with it.
If this is what’s to come for Vegas, then fans should get hyped up. It’s an exciting time for hockey fans in Las Vegas, even if the start has been the most bizarre.
As for Maple Leafs fans? Look away.
Scott Wedgewood has shined and been a key part of the Colorado Avalanche’s start to the season.
The Colorado Avalanche are on top of the NHL as the first quarter of the regular season concludes, jumping out to an impressive 13-1-5 record. Occupying the top spot in the division and conference standings, the Avs look like the most complete team in the league. Superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are off to red-hot starts, but it’s not just the skaters leading the charge.
Veteran Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood has been a standout performer this season. The 33-year-old backup was thrust into a starting role to kick off the year as starter Mackenzie Blackwood dealt with injuries. In his place, Wedgewood has shined and been a key part of the Avalanche’s start to the season.
The loss of Blackwood could have been a huge blow to Colorado’s season, but Wedgewood mitigated his absence by playing like a number one goalie. In 15 starts this season, he’s compiled a record of 11-1-2 with a goals-against average of 2.17 and a .917 save percentage.
He’s also in the middle of a six-game winning streak. Allowing two goals or less in five of the past six games, his play helped the Avs knock off talented squads like the New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.
The Avs boast the second-best penalty killing group in the NHL this year. They’ve successfully stopped 88.7% of the power play opportunities against them. That includes stifling all four of the New York Islanders’ opportunities in their recent win.
After that victory, the team’s head coach Jared Bednar credited Wedgewood as being the team’s top penalty killer and leading the unit’s success.
“I thought both goalies probably made a couple nice saves, but ‘Wedge’ did his best work on the penalty kill,” he said. “Penalty kill was good. Their power play, I thought, was really good, and ‘Wedge’ is our best penalty killer. To me, that’s the difference in the hockey game.”
Wedgewood’s play is helping the Avalanche land in the early group of top Stanley Cup contenders, and Colorado has plenty of reason to believe they will keep that status as the year goes on. Not only because they have Wedgewood playing his best hockey, but because he’s allowed the team to succeed without their regular starting goalie.
As Blackwood makes his way back onto the ice and resumes his role as the number one option, the Avalanche’s confidence in their goaltending position is sky high. They have a tandem that can trot out either puck-stopper, and there is no decline in the level of play in goal. There are very few teams outside of Colorado than can say that same thing with honesty, and it has them cemented as a top championship contender this season.