Toronto Maple Leafs: Patrick Marleau Still Holds Value

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Patrick Marleau in July of 2017, there were mixed reactions.

Some fans figured the Toronto Maple Leafs made a mistake by signing a 37-year-old to a three-year contract worth $6 million per year, while other fans were just simply floored to have a name like Marleau on the team.

A household name in San Jose with a knack for goal scoring who could still skate and had done pretty much everything except win a Stanley Cup? How could you say no?

The main concern with Marleau’s presence is his contract. Everything else he has would be welcomed by any team. A consistent scoring forward with a spectacular veteran presence, who can still keep up with the speed of today’s NHL and put up 25+ goals a season? There’s nothing not to like about it. But with the number of guys who the Leafs will have to lock up long term – such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Morgan Rielly eventually – some people are wondering whether or not Marleau’s cap hit is going to put the Leafs in a headlock.

His contract situation is a different story, so today I’m just going to be reminding you guys that despite his age and his income, Patrick Marleau still has it.

Speed and Goal Scoring Still There

In his first season with the Maple Leafs, Marleau put up 27 goals and 47 points in 82 games. This season, he has 19 points through his first 35 games. He just recently tied for 30th on the all-time NHL goal-scoring list and he’s currently riding an iron man streak of 718 games, not having missed a game since the 2008-09 season, and as I stated earlier, still has the speed to keep up with the pace of today’s NHL.

This is an incredibly important trait to have if you’re an NHLer in your late 30s like Marleau is, as lots of players end up losing NHL jobs by the time they’re 35 due to their lack of speed.

Morale Boosting

Another good example as to why Patrick Marleau is still valuable is the incredible veteran presence he brings to the locker room. He has experience with having a letter on his jersey, serving as team captain of the San Jose Sharks from 2003-2009, and then sporting the “A” until 2016.

Since his arrival in Toronto, he’s been given an alternate captain role on a team that doesn’t have a captain quite yet.

He’s noticeably taken young superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner under his wing, being seen out for dinner with them on numerous occasions as well as joining forces with Marleau’s kids for games of mini sticks. They’ve also appeared in family pictures with the Marleaus.

While these details may seem pointless and cliche, there’s no denying the fact that Marleau’s presence in the Maple Leafs’ locker room is a prime contributor to the morale of the team.

What’s the Next Step?

What the Leafs plan to do with Marleau beyond this season is up in the air. He’s currently on pace for yet another successful season, but whether or not they want to keep his contract on the books into next season is questionable. The Maple Leafs aren’t necessarily hurting on the left side, with Zach Hyman and Andreas Johnsson there already and prospects such as Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Moore looking to step into the lineup potentially as early as next season.

The Maple Leafs could end up moving Marleau in the offseason or at the next trade deadline, or they could opt to keep him and let him ride out the duration of his contract in a Leafs uniform.

In my opinion, whether Marleau stays or leaves makes no difference to me. There are pros to both.

If he’s moved, the Leafs free up an extra six million a year to work with for the contracts of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. But on the other hand, I don’t think anybody would legitimately be upset at the idea of Marleau finishing his contract here. His production is still solid for a middle six forward and with that, he isn’t a boat anchor to the Leafs. He trains hard and plays with such consistency that there wouldn’t be a downside to keeping him around in terms of his game, assuming he maintains this consistency heading into next season.

All in all, there are options for the Maple Leafs and Marleau to consider heading into the offseason. And regardless of what happens, Marleau will eventually be leaving the Maple Leafs on good terms.

Thanks for reading!