clearing cap

Let's face facts, Marleau has a NMC and if he wants to stay he is staying and why would he accept a trade to Nashville, when Toronto is on the cusp of possible winning a cup?

I find it funny that many Toronto fans want him gone and do not understand he holds all the cards.

Catch 22 situation for Marleau. He wants to win a Stanley Cup. Ironically, he is likely the biggest reason Toronto will take a small step back next year, his cap hit will force Toronto to give up someone key. Combine that with likely losing a top 4 D in Gardiner, and not having the ability to replace him with a similar talent, and Toronto may just need to use next year for getting experience for some of their young players and keeping things positive by making the play offs next year (they only made the play offs by 3-4 points this year, and non playoff teams chasing them have more draft capital and/or cap space to improve their teams going forward).

I believe Marleau has a lot to offer even at 40. I’d have no problem with him being a Leaf next season. He can still contribute in a top 9 roll imo. However, the Leafs need cap room. Everyone anticipated big contracts for Matthews, Marner and Nylander but no one knew how big. And I guarantee no one thought Tavares would be here when Marleau was signed. If the Leafs can move Marleau they will. Marleau May hold all the cards but Nashville has as good a shot for the cup as the Leafs. Nashville also doesn’t have state tax meaning Marleau would make slightly more money.

We would be doing Nashville as much a favour as they’d be doing us one. They get a valuable player back in Nylander but moving Subban is imperative for them because they’ve got Josi to resign after next season.