Report: Buyout coming for Marleau?

In case you missed it, multiple online reports emerged this past weekend that seemed to indicate that Patrick Marleau’s time with the Toronto Maple Leafs is coming to an end. The 39 year old veteran forward has a year left on his contract with the Leafs at $6.25 million but Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is reportedly shopping Marleau on the trade market in an attempt to gain his team some cap relief.

Marleau was linked to both the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes, but both teams were reportedly seeking a “premium” on the deal s a favour for taking on Marleau’s onerous contract. This insistence on the Kings’ and Coyotes’ part, presumably, killed any potential for a trade from the Leafs perspective. However, that doesn’t mean a Marleau trade is dead in the water.

On the most recent episode of the 31 Thoughts Podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, Friedman reported on a potential Marleau trade that would mimic the deal the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche pulled off last offseason with veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik. You may recall that the Avs picked up Orpik and goaltender Philipp Grubauer from the Caps in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick. Orpik was subsequently bought out of his contract and re-signed with the Capitals just days later. Could the Leafs try something similar with Marleau?

Check out this bit of reporting from Friedman:

“I think it’s really complicated. What Colorado did last year with Orpik, they traded for him and got Grubauer with him and then bought Orpik out. I think that’s what a lot of teams have suggested. That they’d be willing to do.”

“So if that kind of trade is going to have to happen, who’s Toronto’s Grubauer? What are they giving up to make somebody take Marleau? I’m not conviced that Colorado or Arizona are willing to do it unless there is a steep price.”

 “What I heard about the Kings is that they want you to take someone with term. Like why would Toronto want to do that?”

Interesting. Suffice it to say that there’s a LOT up in the air with the Leafs these days. Stay tuned, Leafs fans.