Patrick Marleau, a left-shooting left winger, is 37. That’s the big knock against him, so let’s deal with it. He’ll be 38 before the season starts. Unlike anyone else on the team he was born in the seventies, and he is definitely in decline.

But unlike most players in the NHL, his declining years include 50 or so points per season and a positive relative Corsi while playing top nine minutes.  He leaves the San Jose Sharks with a record of exemplary play and a lot of points. Over 1000 points, in fact and 500 goals. He has been there and done that, which is the upside to signing a guy his age.

This is where he shoots from:

Which is exactly how the Leafs play: In tight, or don’t bother.

He has played with the best of the best in San Jose, so he’s always on the ice with quality teammates, but he’s faced very average competition.  He’s not been sheltered or used hard.  Brent Burns plays a lot of minutes, so Marleau played with him a lot.

Marleau had very good shot differential results last year except, curiously, when he played with Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who is an excellent defensive defenceman.  If that means that Marleau is really suited to playing with offensively focused players, well, the Leafs have a lot of those. He definitely gets his good percentages from the offensive side of the ledger. He is only just okay at shots against.

Marleau played some with Mikkel Boedker this past season, and he is nothing but speed and rush chances.  They had high event success together, another good sign he might fit with the young, fast, go for broke Leafs.

The point of signing a man his age, who still has it but might lose it at any moment, seems to be to provide a temp fill-in for the potentially departing James van Riemsdyk.  If van Riemsdyk stays, then the worst that’s happened is that a major upgrade over Zach Hyman has occurred for a few years.

Of course the decider is always term and price.  For the right deal, almost any NHL player is a good get.  Is this deal the right one?

That’s Lupul+ money, isn’t it? And it’s one year longer than I’d want to see. It makes me nervous, and I was so cool over the Zaitsev deal, I still have hypothermia.

It means the Leafs have three years to move van Riemsdyk for something tasty and to find a young, hot left wing to score goals.

And I’m still nervous.

Oh, and don’t let the French name fool you, Marleau is from Saskatchewan, so finally Mike Babcock has someone other than just Tyler Bozak who speaks his language.  As many rumours have said, Babcock pushed hard for this deal to happen. I guess he’ll wear the egg on his face if it all blows up.

Patrick Marleau via Elite Prospects

SeasonTeamLeagueGPGATPPIMPlayoffsGPGATPPIM
1993-1994Swift Current LegionnairesSMHL537295167-
1994-1995Swift Current LegionnairesSMHL3130225218
1995-1996Seattle ThunderbirdsWHL7232427422Playoffs53474
Canada Western U17WHC-17-----
1996-1997Seattle ThunderbirdsWHL71517412537Playoffs157162312
Canada U18Pacific Cup53368
1997-1998San Jose SharksNHL7413193214Playoffs50110
1998-1999San Jose SharksNHL8121244524Playoffs62134
CanadaWC71230
1999-2000San Jose SharksNHL8117234036Playoffs51122
2000-2001San Jose SharksNHL8125275222Playoffs62024
CanadaWC72354
2001-2002San Jose SharksNHL7921234440Playoffs1265116
2002-2003San Jose SharksNHL8228295733
CanadaWC90444
2003-2004San Jose SharksNHL8028295724Playoffs1784126
2004-2005CanadaWC92244
2005-2006San Jose SharksNHL8234528626Playoffs1195148
2006-2007San Jose SharksNHL7732467833Playoffs113362
2007-2008San Jose SharksNHL7819294833Playoffs134482
2008-2009San Jose SharksNHL7638337118Playoffs62138
2009-2010San Jose SharksNHL8244398322Playoffs1485138
CanadaOG72350
2010-2011San Jose SharksNHL8237367316Playoffs1876139
2011-2012San Jose SharksNHL8230346426Playoffs50004
2012-2013San Jose SharksNHL4817143124Playoffs115382
2013-2014San Jose SharksNHL8233377018Playoffs73472
CanadaOG60442
2014-2015San Jose SharksNHL8219385712
2015-2016San Jose SharksNHL8225234810Playoffs2458138
2016-2017San Jose SharksNHL8227194628Playoffs63140

Okay, how scared does the money and term make you?

I ran out into the street and yelled!290
It’s fine, it’ll be fine. Do you smell smoke?802
Goals cost money. 713
None of this is real, what are you talking about?259