Sportsnet: Marleau has asked the Leafs to move him to the West

[Echo Roku]

Colorado is losing depth player Wilson and brought in Brassard at the deadline because they wanted depth (which obviously didn't work out).

Yotes have nearly 9M in cap space with a max of 4 roster spots to fill out which will mostly be near league minimum players. If they bring in a big name such as Kessel there will be money going out the door. They've got lots of cap wiggle room.

Marleau according to reports is only owed 2.75M after collecting his signing bonus. At that price tag for a team that has extra cap room he is a good deal as he can still contribute in a 3rd line role.

No. Wilson would be nice to have back at a cheaper deal, but there's plenty of depth options between Kerfoot, Jost, Soderberg, Nieto, Compher, Kamenev, Greer, Bowers, Kaut, Bourque, and Calvert.

Brassard was brought in on the small chance he reverted to his top 6 play and became a 2nd liner. He failed to do so, so its goodbye to him.

So literally no.

Arizona is much the same from my understanding. They don't need anyone like Marleau. They rather use their limited cap space to chase top 6 forwards they don't have.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Honestly, I don't really understand why Marleau wouldn't hang them up at this point, given the circumstances.

If his family wants to move back to San Jose, the closest options would be Los Angeles and Anaheim.... but they're both a 5 hour drive away... so its not like he's gonna get to go home on an off-day. Furthermore, if you look at his career, basically the only thing left is to win a cup. Neither of these teams offer any remote prospect of being able to do that.

For $1m, you've gotta ask yourself, what's the point?

Sure, if the Sharks are willing to take him back, then obviously give it another go.... but if not, the only thing he'd seemingly be playing for is the hope to stay in shape until the deadline when maybe a contender picks him up.

He has no Cup that is a good reason to want to play for a good team a last chance at winning the big prize.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Some of the takes in these Toronto threads have been pretty awesome. This is a good one. I probably would have missed it had you not quoted it. So, thank you.

I'm not really sure why anyone would want to trade for Marleau, aside from reaching the cap floor. Not going to be easy to move him. The Leafs have no leverage here.

If you know you are not making the playoffs this year or that the likelihood is very small, then why not? He would only be on your team for one season. Then he isn’t gone. And you could probably at least get a draft pick coming back your way with him or move up a few rounds on a pick swap with him attached. If you do not believe you are going to be overly competitive for a upcoming season or are on the extreme fringe of doing so. Why not?

 

[Echo Roku]

If you know you are not making the playoffs this year or that the likelihood is very small, then why not? He would only be on your team for one season. Then he isn’t gone. And you could probably at least get a draft pick coming back your way with him or move up a few rounds on a pick swap with him attached. If you do not believe you are going to be overly competitive for a upcoming season or are on the extreme fringe of doing so. Why not?

Because nowadays there's a ton of teams that have little chance that either think they can turn it around in a year (see Islanders, Avalanche), or are coming out of their contending phase with enough cap crunch that there's no real point. The teams that seriously just have cap space lying around for another year and probably don't expect to push for a playoffs spot (out west)? Vancouver, and that's probably the end of the list.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

No. Wilson would be nice to have back at a cheaper deal, but there's plenty of depth options between Kerfoot, Jost, Soderberg, Nieto, Compher, Kamenev, Greer, Bowers, Kaut, Bourque, and Calvert.

Brassard was brought in on the small chance he reverted to his top 6 play and became a 2nd liner. He failed to do so, so its goodbye to him.

So literally no.

Arizona is much the same from my understanding. They don't need anyone like Marleau. They rather use their limited cap space to chase top 6 forwards they don't have.

For the Avs you forgot to also list every AHL forward (note sarcasm). Marleau is still a much better option than most of the guys you noted.

For the Yotes even if they get a guy like Kessel they still need extra depth.

Marleau isn't the top option for either team. However giving a guy like Hayes a huge contract also has a major downside. Giving up assets for a guy like Kessel also would hurt. Even if either or both teams get a Hayes, Kessel or other bigger name there very well could be money left over for depth.

Marleau obviously isn't priority # 1 but there is a fit with his real salary being mostly what matters. 2.75M on a year deal doesn't buy much.

 

[Echo Roku]

For the Avs you forgot to also list every AHL forward (note sarcasm). Marleau is still a much better option than most of the guys you noted.

For the Yotes even if they get a guy like Kessel they still need extra depth.

Marleau isn't the top option for either team. However giving a guy like Hayes a huge contract also has a major downside. Giving up assets for a guy like Kessel also would hurt. Even if either or both teams get a Hayes, Kessel or other bigger name there very well could be money left over for depth.

Marleau obviously isn't priority # 1 but there is a fit with his real salary being mostly what matters. 2.75M on a year deal doesn't buy much.

Sorry for listing the young prospects considered an option to push for depth positions soon. Its almost like that's the point. (and only three of them are that)

Also, hell no. Marleau is a horrible option. Even if you honestly thought he was better than a lot of them, you really think he could play the high motor, high speed playstyle the Avs employ? No. He's literally the opposite of a fit. The Avs got better once they jettisoned players like him from their roster after that terrible season.

And again, from what I've seen when seeing Yotes fans on this, they're not interested either. I will guarantee you that basically almost any team would prefer to see their prospects develop in a depth role or get a cheaper option in UFA before resorting to thinking they'd want him for the sake of playing him. I also had to double take at you seriously comparing him to getting Hayes or Kessel. Not only would you get so many more years out of them, they're also a ton better now.

Getting him would be all about the payment for taking the cap hit

 

[Canadienna]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

 

[mouser]

What would the benefit have been for the Leafs to split it? Paying for it in July would be more helpful to them To move the contract?

Weird setup. Can’t recall hearing another signing bonus setup like that.

I’m sure lots of signing bonuses are done that way, we just almost never hear about them.

Just like there are probably many players receiving deferred salary or bonuses. Again that info rarely becomes public.

 

[BB88]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

So Kypreos doesn't think teams are lining up to pay for Marleu?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

According to Kypreos on Saturday Headlines, Marleau and the Leafs are ready to part ways.

Marleau's family is moving back to San Jose and he wants to be closer to them.

Teams in the mix include Arizona, Colorado and the Kings. His real salary drops pretty low after July 1st.

Well, LA is supposedly interested too so it'll probably be that.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

So in your scneario the leafs are including both Kap and Johnsson as sweetners to take Marleau and Z? Not realisitc at all. Kyper is full of hot air/trying to stay relevant. This is the same guy who wanted to trade Marner last season.

 

[hamzarocks]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

The leafs wont lose both kap/AJ. If a trade cant be found for PM and NZ than they stay leafs and we see if either of kap/AJ are willing to bridge or not. If both arent and want 4ish million we either deal one of them early and get good value or we let one of them walk if they get an offersheet for a 2nd(worst case). The leafs wont be so desperate for cap space to dump one year of PM and a serviceable number 4 defender in NZ unless a deal makes sense. You let either of kap/aj projected contracts go and your no longer in a cap bind. Can ride out PM and his 1 year deal and go with rookies for the next year. Wont see much roster upgrade for this season though but we get cap freedom next year

 

[Mickey Marner]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

It's far too high a cost. Most likely he ends up in Vancouver with one of their bad contracts coming back. It doesn't make sense to attach Kapanen or Johnsson.

 

[tucker3434]

For the Avs you forgot to also list every AHL forward (note sarcasm). Marleau is still a much better option than most of the guys you noted.

For the Yotes even if they get a guy like Kessel they still need extra depth.

Marleau isn't the top option for either team. However giving a guy like Hayes a huge contract also has a major downside. Giving up assets for a guy like Kessel also would hurt. Even if either or both teams get a Hayes, Kessel or other bigger name there very well could be money left over for depth.

Marleau obviously isn't priority # 1 but there is a fit with his real salary being mostly what matters. 2.75M on a year deal doesn't buy much.

We just went through this with Iginla, so you aren’t fooling us. We are well aware old guys can put up decent numbers but still have a worse overall impact than a guy that scores a bit less. It’s a transition game now and guys like Marleau can’t keep up.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Because nowadays there's a ton of teams that have little chance that either think they can turn it around in a year (see Islanders, Avalanche), or are coming out of their contending phase with enough cap crunch that there's no real point. The teams that seriously just have cap space lying around for another year and probably don't expect to push for a playoffs spot (out west)? Vancouver, and that's probably the end of the list.

And I get that fully, parity is wide spread, and I think a very good thing for the sport. But these GM do have to look at it some times and say if we make it awesome. But what if we could bring in a prospect or move up in the draft, while taking on a NHL body that may take up a lot of salary but only for one year. If we make it this year. Awesome. If not we brought in this or these assets. Not every team can realistically “go for it” every single year. Especially if you are looking at adding youth and cheapness of contract down the road like teams such as the Kings are. Smart GM’s know when to muck the cards and let the hand go and when to lean into the betting or go all in. Organizations that flounder and breed mediocrity don’t know how to shift gears back and forth as an organization and constantly try to find a way to accelerate.

 

[Menzinger]

Kypreos mentioned on SN that he thinks it would take Kapanen to get a team to take on Marleau.

If that is the price of taking on Marleau's contract. It should be a lot more to get rid of Zaitsev.

Leafs could lose Marleau, Zaitsev, Kapanen, Johnsson+ this summer.

Would leafs fans be okay with that??

Kypreos has as much insight into the current Leafs team as the homeless guys who hang outside union station

 

[Echo Roku]

And I get that fully, parity is wide spread, and I think a very good thing for the sport. But these GM do have to look at it some times and say if we make it awesome. But what if we could bring in a prospect or move up in the draft, while taking on a NHL body that may take up a lot of salary but only for one year. If we make it this year. Awesome. If not we brought in this or these assets. Not every team can realistically “go for it” every single year. Especially if you are looking at adding youth and cheapness of contract down the road like teams such as the Kings are. Smart GM’s know when to muck the cards and let the hand go and when to lean into the betting or go all in. Organizations that flounder and breed mediocrity don’t know how to shift gears back and forth as an organization and constantly try to find a way to accelerate.

Except if you are already loaded up on contracts, its typically better to at least try while you need to deal with them. Not like they'd be able to just pawn off their players without still being in a hole with the ones people don't want to touch. See Toronto now. It's can be costly to clear cap to make way for something else. A random second isn't something worth making any different cap moves to make it fit.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Except if you are already loaded up on contracts, its typically better to at least try while you need to deal with them. Not like they'd be able to just pawn off their players without still being in a hole with the ones people don't want to touch. See Toronto now. It's can be costly to clear cap to make way for something else. A random second isn't something worth making any different cap moves to make it fit.

I get what you are saying. But if you are at best a bubble team most likely a team that will miss the post season. It’s just plain intelligent to take on a 1 year UFA to gain and additional asset or move up in the draft.

 

[Echo Roku]

I get what you are saying. But if you are at best a bubble team most likely a team that will miss the post season. It’s just plain intelligent to take on a 1 year UFA to gain and additional asset or move up in the draft.

If you even have the cap in the first place, maybe. Unless a team has a ton available, most teams want to keep their cap as flexible as they can to go after UFAs and sign their own RFAs and such. Or even deadline deals if needed. 2nd round picks aren't great odds. Most teams will be interested in winning in the here and now. There's planning for the future, but adding another asset or so doesn't take precedent over trying to win now.

And for teams that are loaded up, that becomes even harder to stay flexible in your options. 6+mil in cap space is no small thing to take on.

 

[belair]

Marleau and picks/prospects to Ottawa for Condon and AHL bodies. Then Ottawa flips Marleau at 50% out West for a player and another pick/prospect.

 

[nturn06]

I think his family already did. They moved to San Jose. Marleau asked to be traded from a top 5 team to a bottom 5 team.

I don’t think he is chasing a cup as his primary motive. And it’s pretty clear his family wants him west.

My bet is. We try to find a soft landing spot and if we can.t. He retires

And how does this help the Leafs? His salary still counts against the cap even if he retires.

 

[Legion34]

And how does this help the Leafs? His salary still counts against the cap even if he retires.

They trade it.

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

And how does this help the Leafs? His salary still counts against the cap even if he retires.

Marleau retiring would be solely for his own benefit, as it should be. Teams should never ask players like him to retire.

 

[nturn06]

They trade it.

Huh? The post I quoted was saying that if the Leafs can't trade him, he retires....

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

But we were told nobody wanted Marleau