I remember when Lou Lamoriello was the second-best GM in the League. I respect the guy for his Jersey years (until he started blowing it at the end - among other things, a certain guy named Kovalchuk comes to mind).
But now? A rich 3-year (!!!) contract to a graybeard like Patrick Marleau? Come on, Lou!! Marleau was always a solid - but far from great - player...and he's obviously already in decline, as his stats from last year indicate. He's played 19 NHL years and close to 1500 games. That's an awful lot of mileage on anyone not named Gordie Howe!
I thought the Leafs were going for youth?
Patrick Marleau was as much a Mark Hunter/Mike Babcock signing than it was a Lou Lamoriello signing. Hunter will likely be the GM next season once Lamoriello retires (but he may stay on as an advisor, like Jacques Lemaire is doing). Patrick Marleau is in great physical condition and he has not missed a single game since 2009. His productivity has yet to drop down and he's still among the top skaters in the entire league.
But the Leafs got him for his experience and leadership, which will be a key to the young Leafs throughout the season and especially during the playoffs, which is also why they signed Ron Hainsey to a decent two-year deal.
The Leafs' window-of-opportunity to spend $$ on free agents is this year since next season they'll have several big contract issues to resolve. A future hall-of-famer such as Patrick Marleau doesn't become available too often and the time to jump at the chance of getting him was now. Sure, they would have preferred to give him a two-year contract, but they had to offer him three years in order to outbid the other three teams who were after him (incl. the Sharks). The Leafs had also tried to lure Joe Thornton to play with Marleau, but he chose to remain in San Jose for more $$ than the Leafs were offering him.
The Leafs are still one of the youngest teams in hockey and their farm team is oozing with young talent. But they realized last season that their rebuilding plan was way ahead of schedule and that they could be contenders by tinkering here and there. And in this league, you need a good mix of young talent with well-seasoned veterans in order to be contenders, as the Pittsburgh Penguins have proved over and over.
I also like the Dominic Moore signing. He'll fit in perfectly as the 4th-line center and he's great on faceoffs and as a penalty killer. They get him on the cheap as compared to what NJ gave Brian Boyle, who would have served the same role had he remained with the Leafs.
I still expect the Leafs to make another trade or two in order to bolster their young defence. Vegas, Anaheim, Nashville & Calgary may be one of the potential teams which the Leafs will trade with. And who knows.....would Andrei Markov consider moving closer to home for a year or two? I'd take Markov anytime even if it's for two years, but not for $6 million/season which is what he's rumoured to be asking for.
You know what? I was as surprised as anyone when i heard Saturday that the Leafs were one of four teams interested in Marleau. I was even more surprised when i heard yesterday that they had signed him. But today after evaluating the entire thing, it makes sense. And the Marleau signing has also put Toronto back on the map as one of the top destinations for free agents to want to sign with.
And you know what else? They're going to sell thousands of Patrick Marleau jerseys and it'll help pay for his contract, which i consider reasonable considering he's still one of the top forwards in hockey and he's always been one of Mike Babcock's favorite hockey players, having coached him previously with Team Canada.