Could Mitch Marner's OT goal for Canada be a good omen for the Maple Leafs?

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Imagine being told, not long after the Maple Leafs drafted Mitch Marner fourth overall in 2015, that in the next 10 years, his biggest goal would come in Montreal.

While wearing a red sweater.

And, in the seconds after the puck went in the net off Marner’s stick, inspiring instant insanity and adoration from a crowd of more than 21,000 in the Bell Centre.

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What happened to Marner’s career with the Leafs? That might have been a natural thought, considering the details provided.

We know, of course, why Marner’s overtime goal for Canada against Sweden on Wednesday has been unmatched by the 27-year-old during his prolific National Hockey League career.

Since his 2016-17 rookie season, Marner has become one of the top scorers in Leafs history. He’s sixth on the franchise scoring list with 710 points.

Upon conclusion of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament next week, Marner probably won’t require more than a couple of games to move into fifth in Leafs career scoring. George Armstrong holds the spot now with 713 points while next in Marner’s sights would be Borje Salming, who is fourth with 768 points.

Rarely a game goes by that Marner doesn’t do something to lift fans out of their seats. When he’s not dazzling in the offensive zone, chances are good he’s making the correct decision on the defensive side, whether it’s at five-on-five or while the Leafs are shorthanded.

There aren’t many better two-way wingers in the NHL.

When he was asked late on Wednesday night by media in Montreal about the biggest goal of his career, the one that was his most memorable, Marner mentioned his first NHL goal — on Oct. 15, 2016 against Anton Khudobin of the Boston Bruins. We had to look it up.

Nothing else came to mind for Marner.

There hasn’t been a big Marner goal in the playoffs, one that made a significant difference in the Leafs’ fortunes, though there remains plenty of time for Marner to rectify that.

We’ll keep believing that Marner will re-sign with the Leafs until there is ironclad proof that either he or the Leafs have lost interest in continuing the relationship. So far, there has been nothing to indicate that on either side.

So we figure there will be many opportunities for Marner to be a deciding factor in the post-season and, if not this spring in Craig Berube’s first crack at the Cup, then in the years that will follow.

The Leafs have had seven overtime goals in the playoffs during Marner’s tenure. That list of OT heroes includes Kasperi Kapanen and Tyler Bozak in 2017 against the Washington Capitals, Auston Matthews in 2020 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Morgan Rielly, Alex Kerfoot and John Tavares in 2022 against the Tampa Bay Lightning (with Tavares winning the series in Game 6), and Matthew Knies in 2024 against the Bruins.

Marner has three game-winning goals in the playoffs, but just one since 2019. In 57 Stanley Cup playoff games, Marner has 11 goals and 39 assists for 50 points. An appearance in the second round has happened once.

Much of the talk regarding the coming NHL trade deadline on March 7, as it pertains to the Leafs, has been the importance on the part of general manager Brad Treliving to add a centre.

Without a first-round pick this year and with a prospect cupboard that isn’t brimming with assets, the challenge for Treliving to acquire a centre who can provide a jolt to the Leafs’ depth will be noteworthy. How Treliving gets around that, if he does, will be intriguing.

Another defenceman would be of benefit as well.

The point is, though, unless Treliving can acquire the kind of player who set up Marner on Wednesday night — you can dream about Sidney Crosby as much as you want, but at some point you’re going to have to wake up — the onus for the Leafs to finally go on a long Cup run will fall on the shoulders of three of the club’s biggest breadwinners.

They just happen to be the three Leafs taking part in the 4 Nations Face-Off: Marner, Matthews — captain of both the Leafs and the United States — and William Nylander, who hit Canada goalie Jordan Binnington, but not the back of the net, on just two of his nine shot attempts for Sweden against Canada.

There’s no denying that Marner’s goal against Sweden at 6:06 of the extra period was a moment that the player and his family will never forget.

For a night, Marner was the toast of the town in Montreal, something he shared with Crosby and, based on the pre-game reception in the rink, Mario Lemieux.

Leafs Nation, rightfully so, was caught in the moment as well. It was their guy who made that difference on such a big stage.

Now, for Marner to make a similar impact in a high-stakes match while wearing the blue and white of the Maple Leafs.

It hasn’t happened yet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t

tkoshan@postmedia.com

@koshtorontosun