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Maple Leafs: Were Patrick Marleau’s contributions worth the cap woes?

By Jackson Farough

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 23: Patrick Marleau #12 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during the third period of Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeat the Maple Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 23: Patrick Marleau #12 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during the third period of Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeat the Maple Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Mike Babcock recently re-opened the debate around Patrick Marleau’s tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs and whether it was worth the investment.

Just as the Patrick Marleau debate began to disappear with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mike Babcock decided to throw some gas on the dying flame with his comments when the veteran forward made his return to Toronto.

When Marleau signed with the Leafs in 2017, fan reactions were mixed. Some loved the move, believing that Marleau’s leadership could prove vital for a young Leafs forward core, all while still providing decent production in the back-end of his illustrious career. Others were skeptical. A three-year, $6.25 million cap hit for a guy who’s turning 38 in the fall? What’s gonna happen when the Leafs’ young superstars get their money?

Well, the ending was about as messy as the skeptics predicted. Marleau was traded to Carolina, along with a conditional 2020 1st round pick to free up that $6.25 million cap hit that the Leafs needed when, evidently, their young players got their money.

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Carolina then bought Marleau out, and that was it for his tenure in Toronto. A 2020 first-round pick for two years of Patrick Marleau. Based on the numbers, it probably wasn’t the best move. In terms of his mentorship for young players on the Leafs, Marleau’s value to the team went a lot further than his impact on the score sheet.

However, the comments that Babcock made on the 25th shed light on the Leafs’ perspective on the Marleau saga.

Per Kristen Shilton, the Leafs knew that a three-year deal wasn’t ideal: “We knew right when we signed him. We couldn’t get him for two years. We tried. We knew the math didn’t work out when we signed him.”

Yikes. It’s one thing to feel that way privately, which everyone knew they did. Most Leafs fans knew the math didn’t work out on that third year, but it’s still a bad look.

This means that the Leafs were never comfortable with Marleau’s contract. Moreover, Toronto always knew that they would have to make some sacrifices to get out of that third year. Did they always know it’d take a first-rounder?

Kyle Dubas is a smart guy. He knew to expect regression from a 38-year-old. To be fair, Marleau had 27 goals and 47 points in his first season in the Blue and White. Along with that, he became very close with the likes of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, which gets back to the intangible value conversation.

It’s a shame that in a hard cap league, aspects such as leadership and intangibles fall by the wayside in favour of point production and advanced analytics. Nonetheless, teams have to truly evaluate what matters more when every dollar is significant.

In this case, the Leafs chose to make sacrifices for off-ice impact. After a messy ending, Babcock’s comments show that buyer’s remorse was strongly prevalent as it pertained to Patrick Marleau.

Next. Why it’s too early to panic about team’s performance. dark

What are your thoughts on the Marleau situation? Was it worth it? Let us know in the comments below. 

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