NHL EDGE stats behind Marner’s breakout postseason for Golden Knights

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we identify some key advanced metrics behind Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner.

Mitch Marner is having the best Stanley Cup Playoffs performance of his career with the Vegas Golden Knights, and his elite underlying metrics are fueling his NHL-best point total.

The 29-year-old leads the entire NHL with 18 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 12 games this postseason and has already surpassed his previous best playoff point total (14 in 11 games with Toronto Maple Leafs during 2023 postseason). With the addition of Marner this season, the Golden Knights have already won two rounds this postseason; the Maple Leafs won a combined two rounds in Marner's nine postseasons with the team.

Marner scored a between-the-legs goal off the rush in Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks, helping the Golden Knights to a 5-1 road victory to advance to the Western Conference Final. Vegas will now face the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche. Vegas defeated Colorado in six games during their only prior postseason series in 2021.

Marner has already scored seven goals this postseason, more than doubling his previous career high (three in 2023 with Toronto), and has had two multigoal games. 

NHL EDGE IQ insights: Marner's highlight-reel goal against the Ducks in Game 5 had a "Projected Goal Rate" (PGR) of 41.73 percent, making it the highest-probability inferenced shot attempt of that game. It was the seventh-highest PGR among goals scored off the rush this postseason, with Marner's spin move and nifty shot helping him beat Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal. Inferenced shot attempts exclude shots greater than 60 feet, those beyond the goal line and empty-net attempts.

Marner has also had some other huge moments this postseason; he set up Brett Howden for a shorthanded overtime goal against the Utah Mammoth in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round, scored the series-clinching goal against the Mammoth in Game 6 of that series and had a hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round.

Including points, Marner also leads or co-leads the NHL in the following categories during the 2026 playoffs:

• Points (18)
• Primary assists (8)
• Shorthanded points (4)
• Multipoint games (5; tied)
• Three-point games (3; tied)
• Four-point games (1; tied)
• Game-winning goals (2; tied)
• Hat tricks (1; tied)
• Road goals (6; tied)

Marner was a key part of Canada’s 2025 4 Nations Face-Off championship and silver-medal team at the 2026 Winter Olympics; he scored the overtime goal against Sweden at 4 Nations and had the primary assist on Connor McDavid’s championship-winning goal in overtime against the United States last year. Marner also scored an overtime goal against Czechia in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Olympics to help Canada advance to the medal round.

But, prior to joining Vegas this past offseason, Marner had yet to reach his full potential during previous postseasons with Toronto. Prior to this postseason, Marner had 63 points (13 goals, 50 assists) in 70 career postseason games with the Maple Leafs. This postseason, Marner has already matched or exceeded his previous career playoff totals in multigoal games (two this year; two with Toronto), power-play goals (two this year; one with Toronto) and shorthanded points (four this year; two with Toronto).

Here are some key underlying reasons behind Marner’s playoff turnaround:

High-danger offense: Marner is tied for the NHL lead in high-danger goals (five) with his frequent 5-on-5 linemate Brett Howden and his power-play linemate Pavel Dorofeyev this postseason. Over his previous four postseasons combined since the start of the puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22), Marner had only one high-danger goal.

Marner has also seen a significant uptick in high-danger shots on goal compared to last postseason; he has 13 high-danger shots on goal in 12 games (tied for fourth in NHL) this postseason (his highest total of tracking era) compared to four high-danger shots on goal in 13 playoff games last year. Vegas, as a team, leads the NHL in high-danger goals (27) this postseason.

Marner has also doubled his midrange shots on goal total this season (eight in 12 games) despite playing more games last postseason (four midrange shots on goal in 13 playoff games).

Offensive zone time percentage: Marner has his best offensive zone time percentage (45.3) in a  single postseason during the puck and player tracking era. By comparison, Marner had an offensive zone time percentage of 40.2 percent for Toronto during the 2025 playoffs.

Marner is also dominating other key possession metrics; he ranks second on Vegas in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (53.8) and leads in 5-on-5 shot attempts differential (plus-24) this postseason. Between his supporting cast of past Stanley Cup champions Jack Eichel, Mark Stone (currently injured), Shea Theodore and others and the guidance of new coach John Tortorella (hired March 29), Marner has reached another level during these playoffs.

Skating speed: Marner set his fastest playoffs max skating speed (21.70 mph) of the puck and player tracking era against the Mammoth in Game 6 of the first round.

Hardest shot: This postseason, Marner has reached a hardest shot of 82.72 mph, surpassing his hardest shots from each of the two prior playoffs (78.38 in 2025, 80.07 in 2024).

Given Marner’s postseason heroics and the circumstances of his previous playoff career, he is building a narrative to be the top Conn Smythe Trophy contender for Vegas as a new wrinkle for the team, which recently won the Stanley Cup in 2023.