Jun 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) and center William Karlsson (71) celebrates a goal by defenseman Shea Theodore (not pictured) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second overtime in game three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Jun 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) and center William Karlsson (71) celebrates a goal by defenseman Shea Theodore (not pictured) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second overtime in game three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
In the latest episode of the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, the host argued that Mitch Marner is no longer having to carry the weight of his team. During the discussion, their guest, broadcaster Ray Ferraro, explained how the star's move from Toronto to Vegas has reduced the burden of expectation.
"In Toronto, none of those guys had won. So they're all looking at each other, and somebody is trying to lead, and they're all trying to lead," said Ferraro.
However, Ferraro noted that's not really the case with Vegas. "And then you go to Vegas and they've pretty much all won. And so, Marner doesn't have to lead in Vegas,” added the broadcaster.
Marner was selected fourth overall by Toronto in the 2015 NHL Draft. During his nine seasons with Toronto, he developed into one of the league's top players, regularly ranking among the top NHL assist leaders.
He joined Vegas last summer through a sign-and-trade agreement. Now, Mitch Marner is already playing for the Stanley Cup in his first season with the Golden Knights.
However, Ray Ferraro also believes that playing with veterans isn't the only reason Marner has shone with the Golden Knights. He believes that Vegas is a "better" team than the Maple Leafs, and that's why he continues to deliver on hockey's biggest stage.
Mitch Marner had a record-setting Game 3 against the Hurricanes
Vegas is one series from its second Cup since winning in 2023. And this time, Mitch Marner is powering their postseason campaign. He leads all players in the playoffs, setting a team record for points in a single postseason.
And that's not all, as Marner scored the fastest hat-trick in Stanley Cup Final history, scoring three consecutive goals in just 6 minutes and 10 seconds in the second half.
While the Carolina Hurricanes fought back to take Game 3 to double overtime, Marner's record-setting second period stood out. Meanwhile, other players like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel have also performed well alongside Marner.
As the Stanley Cup Final continues, Vegas will be counting on Mitch Marner. If he can continue on the same pace, the Golden Knights might have bigger chances of getting the cup home.
With Game 5 coming at the Lenovo Center, Marner and the Golden Knights will get another shot at taking the lead in the 2026 Final series.
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Written by
Aadhya Nalla
Edited by
Sagnik Bagchi