The Toronto Maple Leafs are on the hook for the final year of Patrick Marleau’s $6.25 million dollar contract.
The problem with that is that the Toronto Maple Leafs are up against the NHL’s salary cap, while Patrick Marleau has declined to the point where he scored less points per minute of 5v5 ice-time than Frederik Gauthier last year.
That didn’t stop coach Mike Babcock from giving him just over one minute of ice time less per game than John Tavares, but it did help the Leafs fail to advance to the second round.
If not for Mitch Marner’s contract situation, somehow moving Patrick Marleau’s contract would be the top priority of this Leafs off-season.
Enter the Kings
According to sage insider Pierre LeBrun, the Toronto Maple Leafs and LA kings are talking turkey.
Hearing the Leafs and Kings have talked about a potential Patrick Marleau trade. Obviously there’s the Todd McLellan connection there for Marleau so he might waive. But as of now I don’t think the two teams have found a fit. Kings would need to unload a contract or two as well...
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 31, 2019
Could this actually happen?
If Marleau will waive his no-trade clause, then I suppose that in a world where the Leafs already managed to get our of the David Clarkson, Phil Kessel, and Dion Phanuef contracts, anything is possible.
One one hand, Marleau lived in California for 20 odd years, and his wife and kids are from there, so that makes sense. As Lebrun says, there is the old-coach connection too.
But would he leave a team that might win for one that might make the playoffs? If he really wants to play, he might. It looks like a bad move on the surface, but if the Leafs make it clear that he won’t be a regular in their lineup anymore, then playing is better than not playing.
As for the Kings, they wouldn’t be doing this out of charity and would probably require something of a tangible asset, and the taking of other bad contracts to facilitate this.
(Cap info from capfriendly.com)
Don’t look now, but Dion Phaneuf is on the Kings roster. (Don’t like directly at him, he’ll run away. He’s shy.) Phaneuf makes $5.5. He was a positive CF relative to his team last year….just saying, I am still a huge fan.
The Kings also have Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown signed for the next three years between five and six million. These players would be flipable and would have better buy-out options than Marleau (being over 35 when he signed his contract) does.
If the Leafs were to take on a similarly paid player with longer term, it’s possible they wouldn’t have to pay anything else to lose Marleau. They save a bit of money and take a risk that they can make another follow up trade.
Or if they were to be a bit more creative, they could target Alec Martinez. He is left handed but has played the right side with Jake Muzzin for 1500 minutes over the last three years. He’s 31 and maybe the Leafs wouldn’t be interested in him – his stats profile can best be described as OK.
Martinez makes $4 million to Marleau’s 6.25, but he does have another year left. He is a significant upgrade over Ron Hainsey (and way younger, and can also play the wrong side despite being a lefty) and would effectively get rid of both players the Leafs have that are too old to play on a competitive team anymore.
Kings take back two million to get out of four next year. That’s a win for them. Measured against what they could get for just trading Martinez (a third would be fair, I think) you have to imagine a deal could be worked out.
Leafs could also take the $2 million off their hands in the form of Trevor Lewis, who is 32. He could be moved easily afterwards.
As you can see, there are lots of interesting options between the Leafs and Kings.
If Marleau agrees to go there, that is.
The offseason is off to a flying start with two rumours in two days.
Enjoy your weekend.