Mitch Marner’s the man of the hour as the Vegas Golden Knights stash the brooms and take some time to recuperate after sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
When Vegas fired Bruce Cassidy, few would have expected the Golden Knights to go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, but here we are. Marner’s been front and center in their charge, tallying 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) to lead the race for the 2026 Conn Smythe.
Marner’s numbers in Vegas stand in stark contrast to his stats during his time with the Maple Leafs, where Toronto failed to get to the third round in nine seasons with their famed ‘Core Four’. So, what changed? Former Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy shed some light on why Marner’s thriving in Sin City since leaving Toronto.
Bruce Cassidy Reveals Why Mitch Marner Looks Supercharged in 2026 Playoffs
Marner’s 21 points lead all players in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, and those seven goals are more than his last three playoff runs in Toronto… combined.
Clearly, something’s changed, and Bruce Cassidy knows exactly what. The former Vegas head coach appeared on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast on Thursday, May 28, to talk all things hockey and had a few things to say about Marner’s electric postseason.
“He had a tough go in there at Toronto,” Cassidy said. “I was out West for a lot of it. I saw him early on in his career. When I was in Boston, we beat them in a seven-game series. I thought he was their best player in the playoffs. I’ve seen him be good that time of year, but right now, he’s having a lot of fun out there.
“He’s got other people around him. If he’s not producing for a couple of games, it’s not the end of the world in Vegas, whereas in Toronto, he’d probably get scrutinized a lot more.”
“If he’s not producing for a couple of games it’s not the end of the world in Vegas. Where in Toronto it’d probably get scrutinized a lot more.”
The weight of Toronto media and fans has being lifted off of Marner’s shoulders. pic.twitter.com/qrURxqecwq
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 28, 2026
Marner’s Golden Knights now have some time to get some rest in before they face either the Montreal Canadiens (less likely) or the Carolina Hurricanes (up 3-1) in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
This trip to the final marks 22 years since John Tortorella’s last trip to the holy grail of club hockey. Back in 2004, he led the Tampa Bay Lightning en route to winning it all.
READ MORE: ‘It’s Upsetting’: Bruce Cassidy Breaks Silence on Golden Knights Stonewalling Oilers
“That’s why we stay in the business, to get that opportunity to compete and to go through. I think the coolest part about it is just the attrition of it all. And now we’ve gone through three of them. We’ve got one more,” Tortorella told reporters.
Back then, Brad Richards was Tortorella’s main man on the Lightning and the winner of the Conn Smythe. This time around, Mitch Marner, who has as many game-winning goals in 16 playoff games as he had in 81 regular-season outings, is the man leading the charge.
