Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Taking on New Potential Role

While speaking with the media, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said that the team is looking at ways where they could play Mitch Marner on defense. David Alter noted that Marner could be utilized on defense in "late-game situations where the Leafs need another goal" as a potential example.

Keefe says they’ve been looking at specific situations where they’d try Marner on defense. Like late game situations where they need another goal, as an example.
— David Alter (@dalter) September 29, 2022

Marner has blossomed into a very effective two-way forward over the last few seasons and is regarded as one of Toronto's top penalty killers. As a result, this could be a dynamic that works for the Maple Leafs and players. This of course doesn't mean that Marner will be a defenseman full-time, but rather in specific situations.

One big example of a forward who occasionally played defense is Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov. Thus, it has been done before, and it will be intriguing to see if we end up seeing Marner man the point at times this upcoming season for the Leafs.