The noticeably different atmosphere around Mitch Marner stands out when you’re with him and the Vegas Golden Knights.

“One thing you notice walking into the dressing room, there’s no media — he’s got to love it,” NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika said on a new episode of the “NHL @TheRink” podcast.

“I’m serious. Like, after Toronto, the vibe could not be more different. It’s relaxed. It’s upbeat. It’s quiet for him. There’s just not a lot of demands on him like there were in Toronto.”

Cotsonika joined the podcast from Las Vegas and will be at T-Mobile Arena when Marner makes his Golden Knights debut against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).

Marner played the first nine seasons of his NHL career for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. He got to Vegas through a sign-and-trade deal with the Maple Leafs on July 1 and this season begins an eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million average annual value).

“This is a team that is unabashedly pursuing the Stanley Cup,” Cotsonika said. “That’s what they talk about, we’re here to win the Cup. And now he’s on a line with Jack Eichel. These are two guys who were in the top 10 in scoring, top six in assists last year. On paper it looks like it’s going to be amazing. On the ice we’ll see, but a lot of good things for Mitch Marner right now.”

While Marner is just getting started in Vegas, the big question in Washington is will this season be the end for Alex Ovechkin.

NHL.com senior writer Tom Gulitti addressed Ovechkin’s future in advance of the 40-year-old starting his 21st season with Washington Capitals against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).

“This is the last year of his contract and he’s still not saying whether this is going to be the end or not,” Gulitti said. “I mean, it’s definitely a possibility. I think he’s still motivated. The 900 goals, that’s one thing that he definitely has on his radar. He’s very close (three away). He could do it tonight. He could do it in the first week of the season. The other thing is 1,500 games, he’s nine away. He’s (18) points away from breaking into the top 10 in points. Those are things that I think interest him, but most of all I think it’s to win again.”

For more from Cotsonika and Gulitti, plus predictions and opinions from the co-hosts, listen to the NHL @TheRink podcast, which is free, and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms. It is also available on NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts and the NHL app.