The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Canadian Olympic gold medalist Patrick Marleau of Aneroid, Saskatchewan on Sunday to a three year contract worth $18.75 million. A left winger and centerman, Marleau has played his entire National Hockey League career with the San Jose Sharks since the 1997-98 season.
Last season with the Sharks, Marleau had 27 goals and 19 assists for 46 points in 82 regular season games. He was also a +4 with 28 penalty minutes, seven power play goals, 16 power play points, six game winning goals, 190 shots on goal, 115 faceoff wins, 82 hits, 32 blocked shots, 46 takeaways and 51 giveaways.
The signing of Marleau actually comes as a surprise. At 37 years old, it will be interesting to see how he fits into a Maple Leafs lineup loaded with young offensive talent led by Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner.
A future hall of famer, Marleau had 508 goals and 574 assists for 1082 points in 1493 career regular season games. He helped guide the Sharks to several excellent regular seasons, but could not win a Stanley Cup in northern California.
Marleau however has been able to win two Olympic gold medals for Canada. He was part of the Canadian squad that won a gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
Marleau was one of three key players the Maple Leafs signed from other teams the last two days. The others are defenseman Ron Hainsey, (who Toronto signed from the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins to a two year contract worth $6 million) and center Dominic Moore from the Boston Bruins to a one year contract worth $1 million. Hainsey had four goals and 13 assists for 17 points last season with the Carolina Hurricanes and Penguins. Moore had 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points with the Bruins.
Expect Moore to be a regular checking line center for Toronto this upcoming season. He will probably replace Brian Boyle, who the Maple Leafs lost to the New Jersey Devils in free agency.
