Toronto Maple Leafs: Patrick Marleau Is Earning His Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs drew some criticism for signing Patrick Marleau to an expensive contract. But the veteran forward is silencing those critics so far, proving he’s still a valuable player.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Patrick Marleau to a three-year, $18.75 million contract in July, many wondered what on Earth they were doing. After all, the former San Jose Sharks forward was coming off his lowest point total in a season in over a decade.

At the time of the signing, many questioned if Marleau was too old and overpaid. Some thought the Maple Leafs chose to sign him simply to add veteran experience to a young core and that wasn’t worth $6.25 million per season. Some thought the deal would handcuff the team’s cap space and they’d regret ever signing Marleau.

Signing a player in his late 30s to big money seemed like something the Maple Leafs would have done a decade or two ago. Critics claimed this was supposed to be a different Toronto team filled with youth, and a team that would cherish its cap space knowing one day it’d have to pay their young players.

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However, through nearly a quarter of the season, if any player on the Leafs has earned their contract, it’d be Marleau. The 38-year-old has done everything the club has asked him and more. When the team needs someone to kill a penalty, Marleau is on the ice. When they need another weapon along with Auston Matthews on the power play, he’s on the ice.

Need someone to protect a one-goal lead in the final minute? Marleau has that covered. Need someone to play center when Matthews is out of the lineup even though they were signed to be a winger? He can do that too.

Marleau has essentially transformed into Coach Mike Babcock’s Swiss Army knife, capable of providing whatever service is needed. What makes his play so impressive is how badly the team has needed it. It’s scary to think where the 12-7-0 Maple Leafs would be had they chosen to not sign Marleau, as the team has seen its fair share of struggling players.

The sophomore jynx took a hold of Mitch Marner almost immediately as the season began. Lately, it seems as if the sophomore jynx has gotten a hold of William Nylander. Both players produced 61 points last year as rookies and are being counted on to be significant offensive contributors. Although there’s little doubt both players will snap out of the jynx, Marleau’s 13 points in 19 games have greatly helped distract from the sophomores’ struggles.

Sophomores haven’t been the only ones to struggle as Tyler Bozak has had a difficult time finding his groove in a contract year. The 31-year old has managed to produce only eight points this season after a 55-point season a year ago.

Bozak was expected to have the type of offensive season that’d see him price himself out of town due to his performance and the lack of cap space to keep him. However, through the first 19 games, he has been inconsistent while being moved down in the lineup.

Had it not been for Marleau’s arrival, Bozak’s poor start to the season would be a glaring hole in the lineup. However, thanks to his production, the center’s performance has almost slipped under the radar.

Slipping under the radar can almost be used to describe how the Maple Leafs signed Marleau in the first place. Toronto was just coming off their first playoff season in years. The team produced five 60-point players, including the rookie of the year in Matthews. Then they added another proven point producer in Marleau, who has tallied over 500 goals in the league. This should have been a major story but the news of the signing was met with a lot of doubt.

Despite this, he continues to step up whenever another member of the team struggles or is lost to injury. Look no further then last week where Toronto played three games without Matthews. Marleau scored in all three games, including an overtime game-winning goal.

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The Maple Leafs won all three of games thanks in part to Marleau’s performance. It’s these types of performances that have turned Marleau’s signing into one of the best offseason acquisitions of the summer.