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Leafs should move in on Andrei Markov |
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The posturing between the Montreal Canadiens and defenseman Andrei Markov about a new contract may be over with, as on Tuesday the club signed former Habs blueliner Mark Streit to a one-year, $700,000 contract.
The 39-year-old Streit has played a dozen years in the NHL with Montreal, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (winning his first Stanley Cup with the Penguins last season), and is expected to be a bottom pairing option and power play specialist for the Habs.
His addition could mean that the Toronto Maple Leafs division rival have moved on from Markov after 17 years in Montreal.
The 38-year-old reportedly was seeking a two-year deal in the neighborhood of $6 Million per season, but with the additions of Streit, David Schlemko, Joe Morrow and free agent Karl Alzner to a group that includes Shea Weber, Jordie Benn, Brandon Davidson and Jeff Petry, Montreal has allocated nearly $24 Million to their blueline.
As with the Brian Dumoulin signing in Pittsburgh on Monday, the domino effect of the Streit deal may be that Markov will be looking for other NHL options and may have to come off a two-year stance to find a home for next season.
Toronto has not shown any hesitancy in adding players over 35 this offseason, signing Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal, Ron Hainsey to a two-year contract and Dominic Moore for one year.
The Leafs might be willing to go two years with their window before having to pay their young core group, but at this point, the do not have the cap space to sign the defenseman, even if he were willing to take significantly less than $6 Million.
The upgrade to the Leafs blueline would be significant, as the veteran averaged close to 22 minutes-per-game, scored 36 points (6 goals, 30 assists) in 62 games playing mostly with Weber on the top pairing.
Video of Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov working out in Florida, provided by adviser (and former Leafs forward) Sergei Berezin.
It would take a bit of maneuvering by Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello to be able to fit Markov’s salary in. It would likely make it necessary for Toronto to find a home for the salary of veteran forward Eric Fehr ($2 Million) and one of either Martin Marincin ($1.25 Million) or Alexei Marchenko ($1.45 Million).
Moving Fehr might be a challenge unless Toronto were to add a draft pick in a trade, but Marincin or Marchenko could be dealt to a team like Colorado with critical depth issues on defense.
Markov would make a formidable top-four option for either for Morgan Rielly (who would have to shift over to the right side) or with the right-handed Nikita Zaitsev, his teammate on Team Russia from the World Cup of Hockey.
With young prospects Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman and Timothy Liljegren potentially needing time to become acclimated to North America and Travis Dermott ready to challenge for an NHL job but still just 20, Lamoriello might not find a better option to improve his defense than signing Markov.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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