For the first time in NHL history, two players with active point streaks of 18-plus games will share the ice when Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs visit Jason Robertson and the Stars Tuesday.
On Saturday, Marner broke a Leafs franchise record that stood for nearly 45 years when he extended his point streak to 19 games. Robertson, meanwhile, is two games shy of tying Brian Bellows for the longest run in Stars/North Stars history at 20 games, which occurred during the 1985-86 season.
Marner and Robertson have collected points in different ways during their respective streaks. Marner has been leaning on his playmaking ability, racking up 17 assists. Over the past 19 games, he has averaged 7.4 slot pass attempts per game, third in the league behind Nikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid. Seven of Marner’s eight primary assists during his streak have been the result of successful slot passes.
“He’s (been) all over pucks — offensively, defensively,” Leafs centre Auston Matthews told reporters last week. “Just the back pressure, picking guys’ pockets and turning and going the other way — I think that’s a pretty big thing you notice, especially when he’s really, really rolling.”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Marner’s point streak is that he is doing it without Matthews by his side. Marner has played with Matthews for just 31:35 at even strength since Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe split them up full-time on Nov. 12, a span of 11 games. In those games, Marner has seven even-strength points.
On the other hand, Robertson has been a goal-scoring machine. The 21 goals he’s scored since his streak started on Oct. 27 are four more than the next-closest player, McDavid.
Only seven different players in NHL history have scored more goals during a point streak of at least 18 games, six of whom are in the Hockey Hall of Fame — Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Bryan Trottier, Sidney Crosby and Bobby Hull.
Opponents have had no answer for Robertson in the slot, where he has scored 15 of his goals over the past 18 games. His 11 inner-slot goals during that span are tied with Bo Horvat for the league lead.
Robertson has the advantage of continuity with his linemates, having spent close to 1,300 minutes of even-strength ice time alongside Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski since 2020-21. The Stars’ top line has an 18-8 on-ice goal differential at 5-on-5 during Robertson’s point streak.
Robertson’s blazing-hot start is a continuation of his high-scoring second half to last season. Since Jan. 1, no player has scored more goals than Robertson, who has 54 in 76 games — two more than Matthews.
“Pucks find (Robertson) at an incredible rate, which speaks to the intelligence that he plays with,” Keefe said Monday. “He’s an incredibly smart player with great hands and finishing ability.”
Data from Sportlogiq
