Marner shows stickhandling skill while playing keep away from dog

Mitchell Marner has found the best possible way to simulate defense while social distancing.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward showed off his signature slick hands while stickhandling against his dog Zeus on Wednesday.

Marner has been using his 11-month-old chocolate Lab to stay in shape during the NHL pause due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. That regimen has included walks and yoga.

"We've been taking him for walks by a little river by us," Marner told TSN on April 14. "He's a lab, so he loves water, loves anything to do with balls or retrieving things. We try and take him in the backyard when he gets all hyper and throw the ball around to him and let him run around and do his thing."

Zeus did his thing Wednesday while Marner played keep away, stickhandling a ball around his driveway as the pup tried to take it off his stick.

Hopefully the training session tires out Zeus, who has been waking up Marner earlier than usual during the break.

"Trying to get up around 9:30 or 10 o'clock most days, but sometimes I sleep in a little bit more," Marner said. "[Zeus has] been pretty good at getting us up around 8:30-ish to go to the bathroom."