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Leaf Rumours

Apparantly Beauchimen said Burke is interested in signing Marleau and not Kovalchuck. I think that if your going to pay a guy top money and make him the highest paid player on the team, he better be a) the best player b) be the player that leads the team to the cup. I like Marleau, he has a lot to offer, he's a solid 75-85 pt player guy, but is he the kind of guy to be a leader in the playoffs? Marleau is going to be looking for $7M a year plus, if thats the case may as well shell out an extra $1M and go after Kovalchuck. Kovalchuck is a 90-100pt player and if signed would easily be the best player on the team, but then again like Marleau he's questionable in the playoffs. If I were Burke I'd go after Kovalchuck.
 
I would be fine with a deal along the lines of this:

To Toronto

RW David Clarkson
C Jacob Josefsen
2nd round draft pick

To New Jersey

D Tomas Kaberle
 
I've got to admit, I have been exceedingly skeptical of Marleau's ability to lead a team to the promised land in the past but his playoff resume after age 21 (he played in the post-season as an 18 and 19 year-old when he was overmatched which negatively impacted his overall statistics) is actually quite good. He's often been one of the few players on San Jose to show up and has 40 goals and 67 points in 84 games since the 2001-02 post-season. It's also exceedingly unfair to blame just one player for the failures of a team over that span. Does that make him an $8 million man? That's up for debate, but the Leafs certainly could use a 35-40 goal, 80 point man down the middle.
 
My number one concern with Marleau would be how he adapts to playing in a city where it actually matters. THere have been questions about his ability to handle the pressure in San Jose. How on earth would he respond to the anti San Jose....
 
Good point Jonas. Kovy on the other I think would flourish in TO. The guy finally gets a chance to be the big cheese in a hockey city
 
It could go one of 2 ways with Marleau. He would finally feel appreciated and play his balls off, or succumb to the pressure. Frankly, i wouldnt want a multi year deal north of 7M to find out.

THis big difference for Marleau and Kovalchuk IMO is that Malreau will likely take 5 years whereas i think it takes 10 for Ilya
 
What about a Kovalchuk for Kaberle trade, contingent upon Kovalchuk signing a contract with Toronto?
 
I don't think Toronto and NJ make good trading partners. NJ doesn't have a young forward who can step right in and be a top 6 rightaway.

But with rumors heated up like this a whole 2 weeks before when Kaberle's window opens, I think it shows the level of interest and Burke should be able to find a deal he likes.
 
I'd take Clarkson and Josefsen or Tedenby.

I'm also warming up to the idea of Marleau. Sure he might get big dough, but as Briere and Campbell have shown this playoffs...so what. He's a damn good player, and a big bodied, front line winger which is exactly what the Leafs need.

No he's not a guy you want to build around necessarily, but like Philly and Chicago, if the Leafs want to win they'll need Kadri, Kessel and Bozak to develop and be their best players anyway. And if they do Marleau is a great piece to have, and the Leafs are in great shape and have a contending group of forwards. Especially if the contract is only 5-6 years.
 
Signing Marleau would be so Leaf, though.

He's good enough to placate the fans, but still cheaper than the very best player available.
 
Nah. Marleau isn't as good as Kovy, but he is still among the elite of UFAs. The Leafs haven't signed a FA of that magnitude since CuJo.

And it has nothing to do with cheapness. It has to do with Burke not wanting to give out 10 year contracts, and for whatever reason not liking Kovy.
 
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