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.

With 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his first 10 games this postseason, Marner has the most points by a Golden Knights skater over the first 10 playoff games in a single year since the franchise was established in 2017-18, surpassing teammate Jack Eichel (13 points in first 10 games during 2022 playoffs). Marner has also already surpassed his previous best playoff point total (14 in 11 games with Toronto Maple Leafs during 2023 postseason).

Marner had already had some 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 (16)
• Primary assists (7)
• Shorthanded points (3)
• Multipoint games (4; tied)
• Three-point games (3; tied)
• Four-point games (1; tied)
• Multigoal games (2; tied)
• Game-winning goals (2; tied)
• Hat tricks (1; tied)
• Road goals (5; 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, but he has already matched or exceeded his previous career totals from his first nine seasons with the Maple Leafs in multigoal games (two this year; two with Toronto), power-play goals (two this year; one with Toronto) and shorthanded points (three 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 (four) 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 11 high-danger shots on goal in 10 games this postseason (his highest total of tracking era) compared to four high-danger shots on goal in 13 playoff games last year.

Marner has also doubled his midrange shots on goal total this season (eight in 10 playoff games) despite playing more games last postseason (four midrange shots on goal in 13 playoff games).

Offensive zone time percentage: So far this postseason, Marner has the best offensive zone time percentage (45.6) of 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 leads Vegas in both 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (57.7) and 5-on-5 shot attempts differential (plus-38) this postseason. Between his supporting cast of past Stanley Cup champions in Eichel, Mark Stone, 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).

Although the best-of-7 series between Vegas and Anaheim is tied 2-2, Marner has a chance to help Vegas win multiple rounds this postseason, something that Toronto never did during his nine-season tenure; Marner won a total of two playoff rounds with the Maple Leafs (2025 against Ottawa Senators; 2023 against Tampa Bay Lightning).

Given Marner’s postseason heroics and the context of his 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.