You would think the expectations that come with being a top draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs are tough enough without comparisons to Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour being added to the mix. But Marner, who was selected by Toronto with the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, embraces being likened to Gilmour. He even wore the former Maple Leafs centers No. 93 while playing for London of the Ontario Hockey League.

Marner made the NHL All-Rookie team in 2016-17 after finishing with 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 77 games and helping the Maple Leafs qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013. He was even better in 2017-18 with 69 points (22 goals, 47 assists), again helping Toronto advance to the postseason, then broke out in 2018-19 with NHL career highs of 26 goals, 68 assists, 94 points and a plus-22 rating. Despite an ankle injury early in the 2019-20 season, Marner's 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 38 games earned him a trip to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game and finished the season with 67 points (16 goals, 51 assists) in 59 games.

With the NHL back to 82 games for the 2021-22 season, Marner had 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) in 72 games, joining Auston Matthews and Michael Bunting to form one of the best lines in the NHL and help the Maple Leafs set team records in wins (50) and points (106).

Like Gilmour, Marner (6 foot, 175 pounds) is hardly imposing physically, but he compensates for his lack of size with his speed, passing ability, creativity, feistiness and nose for the net. He proved talented enough as a teenager to be offered a hockey scholarship by the University of Michigan, though he turned it down to play for London. He continued to impress there, finishing second among OHL rookies in scoring in 2013-14 with 59 points (13 goals, 46 assists). In 2015-16 he scored 39 goals and 116 points (his second straight 100-plus point season) to help London win the Memorial Cup.