Lamoriello: Marleau's addition was unanimous despite 'pricey' contract

Lou Lamariello is a man of very few words.

So when the Maple Leafs general manager opens up and answers a few questions, people tend to listen.

Such was the case Tuesday, when Lameriello joined Sportsnet's Prime Time Sports to discuss Patrick Marleau's addition and what he brings to a young Leafs club already loaded with young offensive talent.

"It was a unanimous consensus on the player," Lamoriello said Tuesday. "He had a lot of teams that were interested in him for a lot of different reasons. First of all, the player he is and the way he plays and what his abilities are. And also the type of individual he is - and that played a role into the decision."

At three years and with an annual cap hit of $6.25 million, many experts and fans around the league began to question whether the Leafs overpaid for a soon-to-be 38-year-old player.

Lamoriello was quick to cast those doubts aside.

"Yes, there's always a risk in any decision you make," said Lamoriello. "But where the team is at, what he can bring to the players that we have and the education process, it was really a decision, as I said earlier and I feel comfortable saying, (that was) unanimous amongst our whole group."

"... Yes, it's a pricey contract," he said. "We feel this is probably the only time in the careers of the young players that we have that we could take this type of a chance."

As Lamoriello admitted, bringing in a guy at Marleau's age who has put up decreasing point totals in each of the last three seasons is obviously a risk.

But, considering the fact that Marleau hasn't missed a regular-season game since 2009 and has "taken care of himself throughout his whole career," it's one the Leafs are willing to take.