Babcock praises Marner: 'Never coached a kid that young, that good'

Mitch Marner is drawing rave reviews.

As one of the Toronto Maple Leafs' many dynamic rookies, he's grabbed the spotlight lately, assuming the team lead in points with 15 after Tuesday's win over the Nashville Predators, tied with linemate James van Riemsdyk.

To get there, Marner's recorded nine points in his last six contests, and head coach Mike Babcock has taken notice of the 19-year-old's all-around impact.

"He's that competitive, he's on the puck, he's smart, he's easy to talk to, enjoys the game, wants to get better," Babcock said postgame.

"I've never coached a kid that young, that good just because we've never been in that situation before."

The 2015 fourth overall pick appears to have transferred his full arsenal to the NHL level, and the Leafs are 6-2 this season when Marner records a point.