What the Maple Leafs’ young superstars did during the off-season
Last year was an exciting one for Maple Leafs fans, as their long-struggling team went from the bottom of the league to the playoffs in a single season. The turnaround was thanks in large part to a core of young talent. For those Leafs rookies, the offseason (which officially ends tonight, when the Leafs take on the Jets in Winnipeg) meant relaxing like the nouveau riche 20-somethings they are. Here’s what they got up to.
Mitch Marner went into the off-season ready to train:
He travelled to Colorado—for Tyler Bozak’s wedding, apparently—where he dangled from a zip line and biked alongside several teammates:
It was an eventful trip:
Perfect day. pic.twitter.com/FnVY7rUJxy
— Molly Bozak (@MollyBozak) July 24, 2017
Elsewhere, he hung out with Shawn Mendes:
Cheered on the Argos:
Had a “great time” at the MMVAs (we’ll have to take his word for this):
And worked on his swing at the Rogers Centre:
He later threw out the first pitch at a Jays game:
And was promptly mocked for his form:
Were you throwing a wiffleball?! @Marner93 – looked similar speed to a @43_Kadri wrist shot https://t.co/HlNdZ6H5qk
— James van Riemsdyk (@JVReemer21) June 14, 2017
He also did whatever the sweet hell you call the sorcery at the 32-second mark of this video:
Shout out to 3zones hockey for a great summer session to get @Marner93 ready for upcoming season.?? pic.twitter.com/QwQugJYWnF
— Paul Marner (@bbp_93) August 9, 2017
Marner played for Canada in the IIHF World Championship, where he and Leafs teammate William Nylander, playing for Sweden, met in the finals.
Magic Mitch with the clutch assist ?
?? 1 – 1 ?? in the third period of the Marner/Nylander derby pic.twitter.com/v1Rjjoc8aY— The Leafs Nation (@TLNdc) May 21, 2017
Sweden won gold after Henrik Lundqvist stopped Marner in a shootout.
Not that Nylander was all that excited. (He was also named the tournament’s MVP.)
A gold medal winning tackle by William Nylander on Henrik Lundqvist after Sweden took down Canada in the #IIHF final yesterday. #Sweden pic.twitter.com/REo3EO1D0L
— SouthernSportsNation (@SoSportsNation) May 22, 2017
Nylander visited Fenway Park with Frederik Andersen and Auston Matthews. Judging by the date on the scoreboard, they must have been there for quite a while:
And Nylander took in some tennis with his brother:
Nylander also appears to have caught Justin Bieber in Sweden:
Auston Matthews kicked off his summer by winning the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy for the league’s best rookie:
And he headed to California, fidget spinner in hand (the person to his left is model Jordyn Johnson):
The best part of the Auston Matthews photo is that he's low-key holding a fidget spinner pic.twitter.com/vc4L1obCiC
— John Cullen (@cullenthecomic) July 6, 2017
And met up with Andersen:
Who appears to have spent some time training in California:
Matthews later returned to his hometown, Scottsdale, Arizona:
And he got a tattoo:
He mocked Marner for his fashion sense:
@Marner93 don't worry mitchy I got you pic.twitter.com/mdBfTpyBTE
— Auston Matthews (@AM34) June 14, 2017
Say what you will about those shorts, at least Marner’s never been trolled by a mascot:
Honored @AM34 got a tattoo of me on his arm. Don't tell Carlton ? pic.twitter.com/b6RnqkJIpy
— Bailey LA Kings (@BaileyLAKings) June 6, 2017