Tavares loves what Marner brings to Maple Leafs

MILTON, Ontario -- John Tavares has not yet officially skated as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he's already had some first-hand experience alongside Mitchell Marner.

When the Maple Leafs begin on-ice sessions at training camp in Niagara Falls on Friday, Tavares is expected to center a line with Marner and left wing Zach Hyman. After skating informally with Marner a couple of times during the offseason, Tavares has been impressed.
"I think it's just his energy," Tavares said during the Leafs & Legends Charity Golf Classic at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club on Monday. "He's an energizer bunny out there. He's just infectious with his energy being on the ice, and obviously his speed and his quickness."
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Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock suggested Tavares would likely skate with Marner after the 27-year-old signed a seven-year, $77 million contract July 1.
"It could change, but that's the way I see it playing out right now," Babcock said then. "It certainly gives us a lot of depth. [Marner] is so quick. When you go up front, we're going to have lots of depth and lots of speed. We'll find real good mixes for those guys."
Marner has developed a reputation of a strong playmaker through his first two NHL seasons with 89 assists in 159 games. He finished with 47 assists in 82 games last season, tying defenseman Jake Gardiner for the Maple Leafs lead.

Tavares, who had 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists) with the New York Islanders last season, said he has already noticed Marner's creativity on the ice.
"There's no question the way he thinks the game," Tavares said. "The way he can make plays is special but the energy he brings out there is impressive."
Tavares said he has also spoken with Babcock regularly since signing with the Maple Leafs and that communication has picked up in the past two weeks with more players arriving in Toronto for informal skates in advance of training camp.
"I don't think it's just me, whether it's a lot of new guys or guys he wants to catch up with, just getting me familiar with certain things he's looking for from me, and obviously the way he wants the team to play and how the team has been playing and how I can fit in," Tavares said. "He's just making sure I'm familiar with certain nuances and get comfortable as quickly as I can."