Salary Cap: Marleau's 3rd Year

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Since this is the major hurdle in getting under the cap next season I was wondering, If Marleau puts together another 25 goal season, is there any way the Leafs and his representatives together and mutually terminate the contract? And would it be allowed after his bonus is paid July 1st?

Benefit for Marleau: could join another contender or return to San Jose and make a lot more than the $1.25M owed by the Leafs.

Benefit for the Leafs: Get rid of the $6.25M cap hit and legally circumvent the cap, keep everybody else around.

Click to read more...

 

[Crysis]

Lou is that you?

 

[Canada4Gold]

To mutually terminate a contract the player has to clear unconditional waivers. I doubt a 1.25 million Marleau would clear waivers, and I doubt he would waive his NMC and risk going somewhere he doesn't want to go to do that.

It's possible he gets traded somewhere else of his choosing. But I don't see a mutual termination as being realistic.

 

[bluumax]

Doing anything to get rid of Marleau would put the franchise in a bad light- especially if he repeats what he did last season.

He's holding up his end of the deal therefore we should too, otherwise don't go handing out NMCs.

People need to stop worrying about the cap and enjoy the team we have.

We could win a cup this year and people would be too busy talking about the cap to realise it.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

To mutually terminate a contract the player has to clear unconditional waivers. I doubt a 1.25 million Marleau would clear waivers, and I doubt he would waive his NMC and risk going somewhere he doesn't want to go to do that.

It's possible he gets traded somewhere else of his choosing. But I don't see a mutual termination as being realistic.

I mean If he got picked up on waivers the problem solves itself. You clear the $6.25M cap hit.

Also if it was a mutual termination he would have to consent to waivers anyways and buyouts and contract terminations are exempt from the NMC anyways so it can be done.

A buyout doesn't help us at all being a +35 contract so a termination is the only option without LTIR, or Marleau consenting to a trade.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Doing anything to get rid of Marleau would put the franchise in a bad light- especially if he repeats what he did last season.

He's holding up his end of the deal therefore we should too, otherwise don't go handing out NMCs.

People need to stop worrying about the cap and enjoy the team we have.

We could win a cup this year and people would be too busy talking about the cap to realise it.

Dont get me wrong, I love Marleau and what he's done for this team. I just cant help but feel with him knowing the way the big 3 were set up and the way the contract was structured when he came here, I wonder if this was part of the plan all along.

I don't think the organization would try to force it on him, but if he wants more money it could be an option for him and he's a good enough guy to help us out. If not it could cost us a Hyman or Brown next year.

I love the team and I would lose it if we win the cup but the cap crunch next year is very real.

 

[A1LeafNation]

We signed him, he took Marner and Matthews under his wing, we should honour his deal and give him a shot at a cup. He will not uproot his family and the only other option is if he wants to go back to SJ for his goodbye tour.

Absolute worse case scenario, give Marner a one year deal then sign him long term.

 

[bluumax]

Dont get me wrong, I love Marleau and what he's done for this team. I just cant help but feel with him knowing the way the big 3 were set up and the way the contract was structured when he came here, I wonder if this was part of the plan all along.

I don't think the organization would try to force it on him, but if he wants more money it could be an option for him and he's a good enough guy to help us out. If not it could cost us a Hyman or Brown next year.

I love the team and I would lose it if we win the cup but the cap crunch next year is very real.

Its real, but the solution is not black and white- not everything is public knowledge and nothing is set in stone.

None of our big 3 are even signed to their "mega deals" yet... so how do we know how much of a cap situation we're going to be in?

Its speculation upon speculation.

Seems like Leafs fans just cant resist planning our own demise- I get it, but its getting old. Just let the management team figure it out and enjoy the product they put out.

 

[Spirit of 67]

My suspicion is next camp he comes down with a wicked case of lace bite.
Is forced to retire.

 

[ACC1224]

Since this is the major hurdle in getting under the cap next season I was wondering, If Marleau puts together another 25 goal season, is there any way the Leafs and his representatives together and mutually terminate the contract? And would it be allowed after his bonus is paid July 1st?

Benefit for Marleau: could join another contender or return to San Jose and make a lot more than the $1.25M owed by the Leafs.

Benefit for the Leafs: Get rid of the $6.25M cap hit and legally circumvent the cap, keep everybody else around.

Only scenarios that Marleau won't be on the roster for his final year are a) Leafs win the Cup this year b) career ending injury.
You should count on him playing next year.

 

[al secord]

If he's putting up solid numbers, i'd rather keep him.

 

[The CyNick]

They wouldn't have signed him if they thought it would prevent us from keeping the core together.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Marleau will almost certainly be here in 19/20. Lou signed a vet to a bad contract. Luckily we have Dubas and Pridham.

 

[The Iceman]

The one move that I think the Shanaplan wouldn't mind seeing reversed is the 3 year Marleau deal.

 

[Nizdizzle]

The one move that I think the Shanaplan wouldn't mind seeing reversed is the 3 year Marleau deal.

I assume its unlikely that Marleau signed with us if we didn't give him the 3rd year. I don't think its a stretch to say that he has had a great impact on our young guys, so it was a calculated risk. There are ways out of the cap crunch.

 

[ACC1224]

I assume its unlikely that Marleau signed with us if we didn't give him the 3rd year. I don't think its a stretch to say that he has had a great impact on our young guys, so it was a calculated risk. There are ways out of the cap crunch.

Downside of the rebuild progressing faster than they expected.
Tough to say how much of an impact Marleau had in that.

 

[SprDaVE]

I don't see a problem keeping him but he should be trade-able if he puts up a similar year if needed.

 

[Nizdizzle]

Downside of the rebuild progressing faster than they expected.
Tough to say how much of an impact Marleau had in that.

Yeah, the whole thing is really hard to even work out until we see what Nylander signs for (and then Matthews/Marner next year). I think between the three of them combined, there is probably about a $6-million margin between best and worst case scenario.

 

[Trapper]

I fully expect another 25 goal season from Marleau.
If you are keeping everyone else UFA for your Cup run, I see no reason Marleau is going anywhere in his UFA season next year.

 

[Buds17]

There haven't been many missteps from this regime, and none I'd call egregious. Can't imagine the Marleau contract is going to make the team lose a player that is irreplaceable.

 

[Mess]

Only scenarios that Marleau won't be on the roster for his final year are a) Leafs win the Cup this year b) career ending injury.
You should count on him playing next year.

That is true, but for clarity for others, who might not know the CBA rules.

Even if the Leafs won the Cup and Marleau then retires a happy man, the Leafs still have his $6.25 mil on the Cap regardless as it was a contract signed after age +35 and there are CBA rules for that in place. If he did retire after winning Marleau would be leaving $4.25 mil on the table as lost wages (his salary in year #3), so it would be unlikely he would forgo that.

He has a full no movement clause /no trade clause and couldn't be dealt or waived without his approval. So it would be up to Marleau entirely as to staying or going, Leafs having no options here as even a buyout would result in the same full cap hit.

If he were injured and couldn't play then Leafs could put him on LTIR and get a credit/reimbursement for his cap cost and replace him with a healthy player at similar or less cap hit. ex If Marleau were hurt his $6.25 mil would still be on the books, but if Leafs resigned Nylander and he got $6.25 mil or less than they could recapture Marleau LTIR salary and use it to cover Nylanders cap hit, essentially overlapping and only 1 player counting against the cap. Marleau @ $6.25 mil (LTIR) + Nylander $6.25 mil = only $6.25 mil total against the cap not $12.5 mil.

But the most important thing that many Leaf fans keep forgetting and this is related to the above LTIR (long term injury replacement) CBA situation is that Leafs have the injured Nathan Horton on the books at $5.3 mil and on LTIR.. So Marleau makes $6.25 mil - Horton LTIR $5.3 mil = +$950k. So essential for Leafs salary cap calculation purposes its only the difference of $950k that Leafs need to accommodate below the hard cap ceiling (Currently $80 mil). That balance of the LTIR reimbursement ($5.3 mil) can be above the upper salary cap limit. Hard Cap of $80 mil + Horton at $5.3 mil LTIR = Leafs spending of $85.3 mil salary cap.

So in year #3 with Marleau playing he only costs the Leafs similar cap hit to a Marlie player making $925k (like Grundstrom, Rosen, Ozhiganov,Sandin, etc etc).

IF the Leafs don't win the Cup this year, you can 100% believe Marleau will return next year to honour his contract, even if it were in a reduced role to take one last shot at it in 2019-20. IMO

 

[ACC1224]

That is true, but for clarity for others, who might not know the CBA rules.

Even if the Leafs won the Cup and Marleau then retires a happy man, the Leafs still have his $6.25 mil on the Cap regardless as it was a contract signed after age +35 and there are CBA rules for that in place. If he did retire after winning Marleau would be leaving $4.25 mil on the table as lost wages (his salary in year #3), so it would be unlikely he would forgo that.

He has a full no movement clause /no trade clause and couldn't be dealt or waived without his approval. So it would be up to Marleau entirely as to staying or going, Leafs having no options here as even a buyout would result in the same full cap hit.

If he were injured and couldn't play then Leafs could put him on LTIR and get a credit/reimbursement for his cap cost and replace him with a healthy player at similar or less cap hit. ex If Marleau were hurt his $6.25 mil would still be on the books, but if Leafs resigned Nylander and he got $6.25 mil or less than they could recapture Marleau LTIR salary and use it to cover Nylanders cap hit, essentially overlapping and only 1 player counting against the cap. Marleau @ $6.25 mil (LTIR) + Nylander $6.25 mil = only $6.25 mil total against the cap not $12.5 mil.

But the most important thing that many Leaf fans keep forgetting and this is related to the above LTIR (long term injury replacement) CBA situation is that Leafs have the injured Nathan Horton on the books at $5.3 mil and on LTIR.. So Marleau makes $6.25 mil - Horton LTIR $5.3 mil = +$950k. So essential for Leafs salary cap calculation purposes its only the difference of $950k that Leafs need to accommodate below the hard cap ceiling (Currently $80 mil). That balance of the LTIR reimbursement ($5.3 mil) can be above the upper salary cap limit. Hard Cap of $80 mil + Horton at $5.3 mil LTIR = Leafs spending of $85.3 mil salary cap.

So in year #3 with Marleau playing he only costs the Leafs similar cap hit to a Marlie player making $925k (like Grundstrom, Rosen, Ozhiganov,Sandin, etc etc).

IF the Leafs don't win the Cup this year, you can 100% believe Marleau will return next year to honour his contract, even if it were in a reduced role to take one last shot at it in 2019-20. IMO

I should have clarified, I meant "retiring" as allowing the Leafs to trade his cap to a cap floor team. Not that he would quit and stick it to the Leafs.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Personally I don't see the 3rd year of Marleau's contract to be a problem going forward into the future.

 

[LeafChief]

So he's going to score 25 again this year and we're going to look to force him out?

 

[LeafsNation75]

If he were injured and couldn't play then Leafs could put him on LTIR and get a credit/reimbursement for his cap cost and replace him with a healthy player at similar or less cap hit. ex If Marleau were hurt his $6.25 mil would still be on the books, but if Leafs resigned Nylander and he got $6.25 mil or less than they could recapture Marleau LTIR salary and use it to cover Nylanders cap hit, essentially overlapping and only 1 player counting against the cap. Marleau @ $6.25 mil (LTIR) + Nylander $6.25 mil = only $6.25 mil total against the cap not $12.5 mil.

Unless Marleau happens to get hurt during a game where everyone see's it happen, considering that Kyle Dubas has replaced Lou Lamoriello and we all know he had a history of players on being "injured" and placed on LTIR, at least a lot more during his time as the Devils GM, wouldn't people say how did Marleau get hurt all of the sudden? The last time Marleau did not play a full 82 games was the 2008-2009 season when he played only 76 games.