Patrick Marleau by James Tanner
Patrick Marleau has had a great career. Whatever the Toronto Maple Leafs were counting on when they signed him, by all reports he has provided it.
But leadership aside, Patrick Marleau just can’t contribute to an NHL team anymore. Marleau turns 40 before next season starts, and unfortunately, the years have caught up to him.
Marleau finished the year with 16 goals and 37 points, and the lowest points per minute mark among the team’s forwards. Freddie Gauthier scored more points per minute.
Marleau’s Corsi was -2% relative to his team, negating any defense he may have provided to make up for his lack of offense. Sadly, instead of giving the aged veteran a night or a week off to regroup and try to find his game, the Leafs embarrassingly put his iron-man streak ahead of team success.
Marleau was inneffective offensively and defensively. Babcock skated him just a minute less than Tavares and Matthews, and then doubled down on Marleau in the playoffs.
It didn’t work and won’t work next year. Marleau has had a great career, but he’s got to put the team first and hang up his skates.
He gets an F.