As the Toronto Maple Leafs approach year two of the Mike Babcock era, one of the ongoing questions surrounding the club entering next season is the status of prospect Mitch Marner.
The 19-year-old was selected fourth overall by Toronto in 2015, and has outgrown the junior level, scoring 242 points over his last 120 regular-season games with the OHL's London Knights.
While he's still eligible to play for the Knights, Marner's contract prohibits playing in the AHL, so it's either Toronto or London next season, and Babcock believes the big club is a viable option.
"I sure think he has a good chance," Babcock told TSN's Brent Wallace.
One of the knocks on Marner is his size. He's listed as 5-foot-11, 164 pounds, but Babcock doesn't view it as a problem, as long as he's getting stronger.
"Mitch has been working with our guys and really training hard. He's eating right and doing everything he can to get stronger, to say Mitch has to put on a bunch of weight, to me, is ridiculous," Babcock said.
The Maple Leafs' coach is keeping an eye on Marner at the World Junior Summer Showcase this week, and he likes what he sees.
"I thought he was magical yesterday in practice," Babcock said. "I really like his attention to detail without the puck, how he knocks down pucks, how he knows where the puck's going. The puck always comes to him."
Marner will have another chance to impress Leafs brass when camp opens in September.
