[Signing] Leafs sign Marleau (3 yrs, $6.25 mil AAV)

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But it's a $6M cap hit. And he'll be 40. The only teams interested will be the bottom couple teams that are tanking. He will be asked to play a season for whoever is the current Arizona or Vegas, for $1.25M. He isn't going to want to do that.

Assume the thought is he'll retire or contract an equipment allergy instead of playing for 1.25m and then you just move the contract

[N26]

Am I alone in thinking that Toronto had a fairly fortunate year last year. That surprise year so many rebuilding teams have where they surge further than expected, even make the playoffs, but come back to reality the following year.

It happened to us certainly and i can think of several other teams over the past few years. Minnesota, Montreal, St Louis, Colorado (never got it back). I expect both Edmonton and Toronto to step back next year. I think they both have good young players and up and coming teams but it is such a typical thing to happen. Part of the process of being a contender.

You can expect the fan bases and the media to be overconfident and/or foolish but I wouldn't think the teams would be so sure. Remember us before the start of 2015-16?

Does anyone think Shanahan, Lamorellio and Babcock think they can win it in the next two years as the current lead article? I can see the Islanders, Panthers, Hurricanes and definitely the Lightning having better years next year and threatening their chances of the post-season. With all those rookies there is a sophomore slump or two coming as teams figure out how to play them.

Maybe it is just my own biases as the Leafs, Oilers and Canucks are my Axis of Evil.

[dustygoon]

I can't see how Calgary was ever in the running. His heart is in California. But money drove the Toronto decision.

Marleau was tough to watch sometimes. He would go streaks being invisible (like any goal scorer). Last year he had a 4 goal game against Colorado. His best attributes are steady quiet personality and wheels. He can bring those but it's a lot for what is probably going to be an20 goal scorer.

Watch Wilson lay in the weeds looking for the next star that comes available. Duchesne type level.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Assume the thought is he'll retire or contract an equipment allergy instead of playing for 1.25m and then you just move the contract

Retirement doesn't save them from the cap hit

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Definitely saw him staying in California.

Not for that amount of money or term or structure for a player his age. This contract is insane, what the hell are the Leafs thinking?

Originally Posted by Wild GM

I would consider the leafs to be as much as a contender as the Flames
Great forward group that Marleau will help. More proven goal tending. Weak spot is the blueline for sure but most teams have holes.
It is a solid group overall that could surprise.

The Colorado Avalanche say hi.

One of the hottest teams in the league and a few years removed put up one of the worst seasons in recent NHL history.

Think on that for a second, the Avs' last season put some of the Oilers' season of the past decade to shame.

What goes up quickly may come down just as quickly.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Locke

The Colorado Avalanche say hi.

One of the hottest teams in the league and a few years removed put up one of the worst seasons in recent NHL history.

Think on that for a second, the Avs' last season put some of the Oilers' season of the past decade to shame.

What goes up quickly may come down just as quickly.

Unsustainable is not sustainable.
Just like the Flames from two years ago. Not great hockey teams propped up by any number of things, including luck. The Leafs don't fall into that category.
That's not to say the Leafs are contenders. They aren't until they fix that defense, which may be easier said than done. And not every young player will improve year to year, but that forward group is incredible. And regular season wins are a lot easier to come by than post season wins are.
They could get 85 points, or 110. But playoff success won't come until that defense is improved.

[BergyBoy]

Originally Posted by Locke

Not for that amount of money or term or structure for a player his age. This contract is insane, what the hell are the Leafs thinking?



The Colorado Avalanche say hi.

One of the hottest teams in the league and a few years removed put up one of the worst seasons in recent NHL history.

Think on that for a second, the Avs' last season put some of the Oilers' season of the past decade to shame.

What goes up quickly may come down just as quickly.

And like the Avs the Leafs just signed a past his prime goal scorer to a 3 year deal and it all went down hill from there.

[Stay Golden]

JMO for Marleau's age and his skating he has slowed down considerably the last 2 years. This is 1 year too long and too much per year. The Leafs will be in a buyout situation in the last year of the contract. Marleau will be 40.

[powderjunkie]

Is the retirement cap hit really tradeable? Is he really able to collect his 3rd year bonus and then retire?

Would the process be:
1. Collect bonus as a Leaf
2. Waive NMC for trade to another team
3. Retire

Maybe I'm confusing with recapture penalties, but I thought 35+ retirement hits stayed with the signing team regardless?

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Is the retirement cap hit really tradeable? Is he really able to collect his 3rd year bonus and then retire?

Would the process be:
1. Collect bonus as a Leaf
2. Waive NMC for trade to another team
3. Retire

Maybe I'm confusing with recapture penalties, but I thought 35+ retirement hits stayed with the signing team regardless?

Red Wings were able to trade Datsyuk's contract.

The trick is to not retire but just sit out until the contract expires.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Red Wings were able to trade Datsyuk's contract.

The trick is to not retire but just sit out until the contract expires.

Didn't Datsyuk go play in KHL, though? Can Marleau really just sit out? Perhaps he can get traded, fail to report, and be suspended by the team for the season? Or be kept on the roster as their 23rd man?

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Didn't Datsyuk go play in KHL, though? Can Marleau really just sit out? Perhaps he can get traded, fail to report, and be suspended by the team for the season? Or be kept on the roster as their 23rd man?

He did go play in the KHL. I dont see how it would be any different than Marleau just not playing.

Datsyuk had a contract that he was perfectly capable of fulfilling. He just didnt feel like it, and the NHL let it slide.

[Enoch Root]

Except they didn't let it slide. Detroit was left with the cap hit, which they subsequently traded.

If Marlo retired, the Leafs would be stuck with the cap hit. If they were then able to trade it, well, good for them.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Except they didn't let it slide. Detroit was left with the cap hit, which they subsequently traded.

If Marlo retired, the Leafs would be stuck with the cap hit. If they were then able to trade it, well, good for them.

I just see that stuff as cap circumvention.

Datsyuk didnt officialy retire but he retired in practice. I dont think you should be able to trade the contract of a retired player.

I get that legally they can justify it, but common sense says its BS.

[Gaskal]

Should edit "Full NMC" into the thread title just to really outline how every single part of this contract was immensely stupid.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

I just see that stuff as cap circumvention.

Datsyuk didnt officialy retire but he retired in practice. I dont think you should be able to trade the contract of a retired player.

I get that legally they can justify it, but common sense says its BS.

Why? A player retiring is a personal decision - that has nothing to do with the contract.

Contracts are contracts and all of them are tradable. Why should a contract become untradable, just because the player wants to retire?

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

I just see that stuff as cap circumvention.

Datsyuk didnt officialy retire but he retired in practice. .

Well, no. He defected to the KHL. Where he played last year instead of fulfilling his contractual obligations to the Detroit Red Wings. In return the Red Wings had to literally give Jacob Chycrun to the Arizona Coyotes to rid themselves of the unfulfilled contract's consequences.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But it's a $6M cap hit. And he'll be 40. The only teams interested will be the bottom couple teams that are tanking. He will be asked to play a season for whoever is the current Arizona or Vegas, for $1.25M. He isn't going to want to do that.

Fleury seemed okay with it and the team he got traded to is brutal.

Kruger just got traded but I don't know if his modified NTC had kicked in yet.

And Marleau has been very healthy his entire career so if this continues and he keeps putting up 40-50 points a season I would think a lot of teams would be interested. Doesn't have to be a horrible team, could just be a team with a cheap owner who doesn't spend to the cap like the Sens.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Why? A player retiring is a personal decision - that has nothing to do with the contract.

Contracts are contracts and all of them are tradable. Why should a contract become untradable, just because the player wants to retire?

I'm pretty sure that any contract a player has is terminated upon retirement.

I'm sure Datsyuk was doing the Wings a favor by "retiring" without filing the papers so they could get relief by trading his contract.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Well, no. He defected to the KHL. Where he played last year instead of fulfilling his contractual obligations to the Detroit Red Wings. In return the Red Wings had to literally give Jacob Chycrun to the Arizona Coyotes to rid themselves of the unfulfilled contract's consequences.

Yeah they paid their way out of it which i dont agree with.