“He is a very good player”: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube urges Mitch Marner to 'stay in the moment' as 100-point threshold looms

With Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner nearing the much-desired 100-point threshold, head coach Craig Berube has one thing to say to the marquee right wing: don't chase the number—play the right way. Before their regular-season closer against the Florida Panthers, Berube spoke about the milestone with measured calmness, urging Marner to keep his focus on his game and have faith in the process.


Mitch Marner, who picked up his 70th assist Saturday night, is on the brink of a rare personal milestone. But for Craig Berube, who recently filled in behind the bench, team play and preparation for the playoffs are still paramount to individual numbers. He praised Mitch Marner on his overall play on the ice and stressed the importance of staying humble as he nears the 100-point plateau.
“It is like a guy scoring 50 goals. It means a lot to the individual, our team, and the organi,” Craig Berube said. “He just has to make sure he stays in the moment with things and plays the right way. The points will come. He is a very good player with the ability to do a lot of good things. He just has to stay focused, keep playing his game, and focus on playing a team game.”

When asked about his goaltending decision for the final clash of the regular season, Berube confirmed that Joseph Woll will start against the Florida Panthers. “Stoly has seen [the Panthers] three times this year, so I switched it up.”
Against a Panthers squad that likes to pin teams against the boards and create chaos in front of their net, Berube emphasised discipline and poise. “You need patience against this team. They check extremely well and are in your face extremely well. There is not a lot of room. You are going to have to be patient. Simple puck plays are important tonight: putting pucks in behind them and getting pucks out of your zone. Those little things are crucial,” he said. “We did a good job of it for all of the game (in Toronto), and we got a couple of good opportunities in the third. We capitalise on them. There were a lot of things we did well, but those are key for me.”
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While fans keep an eye on Mitch Marner’s points total, Berube is laser-focused on refining the team’s play and building momentum. While personal accomplishments matter, for Berube it is the team-first mentality that is crowned with championships. As the playoffs approach, the Toronto Maple Leafs' eyes are on the ultimate goal.
With a career-high 99 points (30 goals, 69 points) in 80 games and an average of 21:17 ice time, Marner finished the season second on the Maple Leafs to defenseman Morgan Rielly (21:42).