Jacques Martin shares unfiltered thoughts on Mitch Marner

Following yet another Round 1 exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a critical offseason that will include decisions on the futures of several key players. 

One particular player that is especially facing the music right now is forward Mitch Marner, who enjoyed another successful regular season campaign but was mostly invisible when it mattered most in the postseason. In fact, a particularly low moment for Marner took place in Game 4 of Round 1 when he was seen throwing his gloves down on the bench in frustration while teammate William Nylander snapped at him. 

There was also the report that now-former head coach Sheldon Keefe essentially treated Marner delicately as so not to trigger him, while being harder on other players. 

The future of Marner with the Leafs is up in the air, as he has one year remaining on his current contract with a hefty AAV. But in the mind of former Ottawa Senators head coach Jacques Martin, Marner is still an important player that don't just grow on trees.

"I think maybe this year he hasn't had as good of a season or as good a playoff as you'd like. But he's still a top-end player," Martin said. "And I think it's difficult to get those players. The key is to be able to build, as your coach, relationships with those players to be able to work with them on a day-to-day basis."

"Each individual is different. You have to have a different approach with each player," he added. "I think because you need highly skilled players to win. Yes, you also need a lot of that. I think that a lot of times you win the Stanley Cup, your star players have to excel. But at the same time, your depth players out to perform; they got to bring you a contribution."

It sounds as though Martin would be in favor of an extension for Marner with the Leafs. Do you feel the same way? 

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