According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Toronto Maple Leafs are discussing a Patrick Marleau trade with the Los Angeles Kings.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to create some cap space as they experience the first real cap crunch of general manager Kyle Dubas’ brief tenure. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Leafs could move Patrick Marleau. In fact, they’re having discussions with the Los Angeles Kings.
This report comes from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Moving Marleau would obviously benefit the Leafs, who would like to get rid of his $6.25 million cap hit, which runs through the end of the 2019-20 season. It is worth noting, however, that Marleau is only due $4.25 million next season. In fact, after July 1, he is due just $1 million.
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However, Marleau has a no-movement clause, which means he must approve any trade or re-assignment. One has to wonder if the 39-year-old veteran forward, who turns 40 in September, will want to move his family back to California after moving to Toronto two years ago.
Marleau spent the first 19 seasons of his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks before signing with the Leafs in free agency in 2017. So perhaps he would welcome a return to the state he has spent a shade under half of his life in.
But would Marleau be willing to waive his no-movement clause to go to a rebuilding team in the Los Angeles Kings? The Kings were among the worst teams in the NHL last season. Even though Marleau’s former head coach Todd McLellan is now in charge in Los Angeles, that probably wouldn’t be enough to persuade him to move from the Maple Leafs, who are a Stanley Cup contender.
Ideally, the Maple Leafs would love to take minimal salary back, if any. However, the Kings would probably like to shed a contract or two in exchange for taking him on. Around the trade deadline, Toronto expressed some interest in Kyle Clifford. It’s possible he would be a part of the return. Clifford, much like Marleau, has one year left on his deal with a $1.6 million cap hit.
This trade would most likely happen after July 1, since that’s when Marleau’s $3.25 million signing bonus is due. The Leafs are also trying to find a new home for defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who has reportedly requested a trade.
When Marleau signed his deal back in 2017, everyone assumed the third year of Marleau’s deal would be interesting. And with the Leafs facing a huge cap crunch, needing to re-sign Mitch Marner, Andres Johnsson, and Kasperi Kapanen while upgrading the rest of the roster, it certainly will be.