Toronto Maple Leafs: Breaking Up With Patrick Marleau

The Toronto Maple Leafs are committed to Patrick Marleau for one more season.

Two years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs, under then general manager Lou Lamoriello, signed Patrick Marleau to provide leadership to the team’s young core and to chip in the odd goal.

At the time, it was a calculated risk that Marleau would continue to defy age, and that the Leafs could sign their Big Three at such a rate that it would not matter.

Unfortunately, the Leafs failed to extend them early enough in their contracts, that by the team did sign them, they were full fledged superstars, or well on their way.  Now Marleau’s contract is the single biggest obstacle between the Leafs and the ability to improve their team this summer.

As unfortunate as it is, Patrick Marleau is no longer a player that can play on competitive team’s top nine, and it’s just untenable to have a six million dollar fourth liner.

Breaking Up With Marleau

Marner had a Corsi-For rating that was -2% relative to his team. This means that the Leafs were allowing 2% more shot attempts when Marleau was on the ice. That might not sound like much, but the range of Corsi is very small.

All six of the Marleau’s most common linemates did better without him than they did with him.

Playing in all 82 games and averaging only one less minute per game 5v5 than Austom Matthews or John Tavares, Patrick Marleau had the lowest points per 60 minutes of ice time of the team’s forwards. (stats from naturalstattrick.com).

Once again for emphasis:  Patrick Marleau played only one less minute than two of the top ten players in the NHL, and he scored at a rate lower than Frederick Gauthier, Connor Brown, Nic Petan and Par Lindholm.

As much as we hate to say it about this Hall of Famer and all-round noted great guy and fan favorite, Patrick Marleau can no longer contribute to a contending team, in any capacity,  at any price.

Whether or not the Leafs can get out of this contract is up for debate. Certainly it seems that if they want to, they might have to risk playing hardball.

“You can’t treat a player like Marleau this way,” is a common refrain. The argument is that because he is a classy player who chose to come here, the Leafs should honour their contract and play him, rather than force him out by telling him they won’t play him.

To this I say that the window to win in the NHL is extremely short, and that you can’t waste any of it by not icing the best team possible.  Marleau lived the dream and is a filthy rich multi millionaire, and so his feelings shouldn’t enter into the thought process.

If, in order to win, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to be harsh with Marleau’s feelings, then so be it.

You don’t win by being sentimental, but you do lose by making your team worse on purpose. Patrick Marleau was a great player who has played long past the age when most guys have already retired.

The Toronto Maple Leafs just need to tell him the truth.

"Three important rules for breaking upDon’t put off breaking up when you know you want toProlonging the situation only makes it worseTell him honestly, simply, kindly, but firmlyDon’t make a big productionDon’t make up an elaborate storyThis will help you avoid a big tear-jerking sceneIf you want to date other people say soBe prepared for the boy to feel hurt and rejectedEven if you’ve gone together for only a short time,And haven’t been too seriousThere’s still a feeling of rejection when someone saysShe prefers the company of others to your exclusive companyBut if you’re honest, and directAnd avoid making a flowery emotional speech when you break the newsThe boy will respect you for your franknessAnd honestly he’ll appreciate the kind of straightfoward manner in which you told him your decisionUnless he’s a real jerk or a crybaby you will remain friendsNada Surf “Popular”"

If the Toronto Maple Leafs tell Marleau the truth, and if he has the character everyone attributes him to having, he’ll probably make the right decision. If he doesn’t, it’s unfortunate, but the Leafs should be prepared to just bench him for next season and pay him not to play.  If they force his hand, hopefully he’ll waive his no movement clause and the Leafs can trade him.

If he doesn’t sit him in the pressbox for the entire season.

Hardball should be avoided if possible, but it’s the NHL and the margins for winning are slim, and the time to do so is short. If Marleau won’t retire or waive his NTC to facilitate a trade, the Toronto Maple Leafs should treat him like any other player and force him to.

Marleau is 39 and he can be replaced by any NHL replacement player who makes the league minimum. Nothing short of a Stanley Cup is acceptable for the Leafs from now on.  Therefore, Marleau has to be cut, and if doing so shows him disrespect, so be it.

It’s the NHL.  If you want to make friends, join a book club.