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Mitch Marner says he’s ‘calm and chill’ heading into Canada-USA rematch
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Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Shane Seney
Feb 20, 2025, 12:30 ESTUpdated: Feb 20, 2025, 10:14 EST
Mitch Marner is ready to embrace the moment and try to make his family, friends and the country of Canada proud.
Marner spoke to reporters following Team Canada’s practice on Wednesday, and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward is trying to keep his mind at ease, while he knows there’s a ton on the line in the highly anticipated rematch against Auston Matthews and Team USA.
“Calm and chill. That’s what you want. We’ll go through a couple more things throughout the day, and night, and get yourself ready. You can’t overthink it, it’s just another game, and go do your thing,” Marner said of his mentality.
Marner has taken some heat throughout the two-week event, as he started on Canada’s top line with Connor McDavid, and while he did score the OT winner in Canada’s opening victory over Sweden, Marner has been placed on the third line, in a more defensive role for head coach Jon Cooper. Marner enters the final with one point in three games, and is averaging 17:47 of ice-time.
“I’ve known Cirelli for a long time, I’ve been working out with him for countless amount of years now. Hagel, I never knew before this tournament, but got quickly acquainted with him in Montreal. Another great guy, who works extremely hard on that ice. I think all of us our workhorses, I think for my part, like we did last game, I thought we were good with our pucks, put them in places to get them back a lot.”
Marner is squaring off against Matthews once again, where both Maple Leafs’ stars are expected to elevate their games in the final.
“No, nothing yet,” when asked about potential side bets with Matthews. “I was talking to him the other day about something. We were talking about our flight situation out of Montreal to Boston, and just stuff like that. I was talking to him two days ago, or something, can’t really remember about what though.”
Marner is expecting an electric atmosphere at TD Garden in Boston, the same arena where he’s lost three Game 7’s as a member of the Maple Leafs.
“It’s going to be great, a fun one to be a part of. There’s going to be a lot of fans on both sides, and it something, again, that you’ve dreamt of as a kid, so it’s going to be exciting.”