Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner sounds off on his mental health as playoffs approach

This season, it was certainly a difficult start to the year for Toronto Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner. He endured a 16 game scoreless drought that dated to last year's playoffs and continued to face questions regarding his maturity. 

But he's rebounded from a slow start to finish the season with 97 points, having scored 35 goals to go with 62 assists. And as the postseason approaches, he wants fans to know that for him personally, it's different this time around. 

"Just growing up wise, being more mature and growing into my body a little more weight wise and strength wise," he said. "I'm definitely a different person than I was the last couple years. It's something, like you just said, I talk about it a lot - whenever you're here around the arena, you just want to get better, whether it's in the gym or on the ice. I think that's something that lot of guys in our locker room do as well." 

Marner also went out of his way to compliment peek performance coach Greg Harden, who has been an invaluable presence around the team.

"He's been great," Marner said. "The stuff he's done in our locker room with our whole team events and 1 on 1, when you call him you can talk to him about anything. It's been a lot of relief."

"Everyone has this thing about athletes in general that we can handle anything by ourselves and stuff like that, but that's not true," he continued. "There's a lot of mental health stuff that goes on behind the, I'd say shades, some people really hide. For us athletes, There's nothing to be embarrassed or hide about. If you want to talk about stuff, it's been great to have Greg around. Just in general you shouldn't hold it in by yourself, and Greg's been great to talk to."

Marner and the Leafs have secured the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Division, and they'll be hosting Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night.