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“Like (Kasperi) Kapanen and everybody you’re not hearing about. Everybody. Any trainer, any coach who looks like they might be tired that day. He just flat out makes you a better human being by walking by you. You can’t replace that stuff, especially with a young group.

“If you want to win, you got to have people who do it right every day. Imagine doing it right every day for 82 games where everyone is watching you, every time you make a sound and there’s a microscope on you. He’s that guy.

“You know all those things. That’s why we went after him (as a free agent two years ago).”

That was far more than the modest Marleau was going to reveal. The father of four did credit his upbringing in Saskatchewan for how he’s turned out.

“It had to come from Mom and Dad and growing up on the farm,” Marleau said. “When I came in the league, I had a lot of great veteran guys showing me the way. Over the years, you meet a lot of different players and kind of grab different things you can use to your advantage. When Jumbo Joe (Thornton) came to San Jose, I tried to soak up as much as what he brought, putting in the time at the rink. We were roommates and got on the same page then. He liked to put in time in the rink.

“I enjoy the excitement and the energy (of a young roster). Everyone is trying to get better and that’s what I’m trying to do myself. The energy they have rubs off on you.”

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Eight points separated the top five teams in the Atlantic Division on Monday morning, the Leafs and Bruins just two apart, Boston coming off a classic rivalry-game win in Montreal on Saturday. Toronto is due to face Buffalo in a week. The Bruins defeated the Leafs 5-1 in the only meeting this year, but it was a back-to-back and they didn’t have No. 1 Frederik Andersen in net. The latter gets his first shot at the Bruins since last year’s Game 7 playoff loss in Boston.