Marleau wore ‘out a few carpets' making decision to leave Sharks

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Patrick Marleau’s decision to leave San Jose for Toronto was, naturally, an arduous one.

“I think I’ve worn out a few carpets pacing around the house trying to make this decision over the last couple days,” said Marleau, who signed a three-year, $18.75 million deal with the Maple Leafs on Sunday, ending his 19-year run in San Jose. 

“But, I’m extremely excited and happy to be a part of the Maple Leafs organization. It’s definitely an honor to be able to call myself a Maple Leaf, obviously being a Canadian-born player. This decision took me quite awhile to come to, but I’ve made it, and I’m happy with it. I can’t wait to get started.”

It’s certain that the Maple Leafs’ contract offer, which reportedly includes a full no-movement clause and is front-loaded with a salary of $8.5 million in the first season, was much better than what the Sharks were offering. The most recent report had a two-year contract offer from San Jose, and a source recently told NBC Sports California that other teams were willing to put significantly more money on the table than were the Sharks. The Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars were also thought to be in the running for Marleau’s services.

Toronto, though, won out. Head coach Mike Babcock has always been a Marleau fan, coaching the forward in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics as Team Canada captured back-to-back gold medals, and his presence behind the bench played a role.

“Having known [Babcock in the Olympics]…the work he’s done over his career speaks for itself,” Marleau said. “Knowing what he’s doing there with the team he has, and knowing what I can contribute, is extremely exciting for me.”
 
The Maple Leafs are among the league’s young teams on the rise, with Calder Trophy winner Auston Matthews and forward Mitch Marner leading the way. They made the playoffs in 2016-17 for the first time in four seasons, losing to top-seeded Washington in the first round in a tightly contested six-game series in which five games went to overtime. 

Marleau, who is as durable a player as there is in the NHL and takes tremendous care of his body, will surely be counted on to show the youngsters how to act like a pro.

A reunion with the Sharks will come early, as Maple Leafs visit SAP Center on Oct. 30. San Jose appears at Air Canada Centre on Jan. 4, and Marleau and his family should be settled in by then.

Pondering that move across the continent is why Marleau’s decision dragged into the second day of NHL free agency, after most high profile players – including Joe Thornton, who has committed to return to the Sharks on a one-year deal – had made up their minds.

“The [Sharks] owners, Hasso Plattner and all the other owners here, the organization has been first class to me over the 19 years that I’ve been here. My wife and four boys, it was extremely tough to finally pull the trigger and have them move to a new country across, you know, from one coast to the other. 

“But everybody here in our house is extremely excited to be a part of the Maple Leafs and where they’re going. I’m ecstatic to be a part of that.”

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