Put Nazem Kadri atop the list of Maple Leafs players excited by the club's offseason free agent acquisition Patrick Marleau.

"It's going to be great," Kadri said of having the 19-year NHL veteran on the team, according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. "Experience is the No. 1 thing we need. It builds confidence in those high, stressful games. Patty is going to bring that to us. He's going to be a leader."

The 26-year-old Kadri was one of the more senior members on a youthful, budding Maple Leafs team a year ago. Adding a grizzled vet like Marleau will surely be quite refreshing for players like Kadri, who were relied upon for leadership despite being relatively young players themselves.

Marleau has played just about every role possible in his career. There are few things he hasn't seen or experienced.

He's played both center and wing. He's been counted on as a primary scorer in his heyday, and he's been used as a secondary contributor in recent years. His solid two-way game has allowed coaches to use him in a checking role. He was even the Sharks' captain for parts of five seasons. He's played in 177 playoff games, including six Stanley Cup Final games.

Furthermore, Marleau has played 622 consecutive regular season games, and hasn't played less than 74 games in any season during his career (except for the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season). For a player who doesn't shy away from physicality (80 or more hits in three of last four years), this either means he's incredibly lucky, or takes great care of his body. Assuming it's the latter, the younger Leafs will learn plenty from the way he trains and prepares for games.

While some questioned the signing, it certainly provides a huge morale boost to players like Kadri, who have never skated alongside someone with the pedigree and vast NHL experience of Marleau.

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