"Yeah, he is (that fast)," Ward said. "I've seen it firsthand, so for the fans in Toronto, you can expect a guy who can really move but even a better guy off the ice. His work ethic is tremendous. In the gym, he is one of the strongest, and on the ice, he is one of the fastest guys leading the drills."
Marleau had 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 82 games last season.
Early in his NHL career, Demers said Marleau often would give him advice.
"We just had a great group of veterans who'd take me aside when things were going bad," Demers said. "The coaches never had to say anything because guys like Marleau was the first one to give me praise or to tell me to pick it up and get moving. When a guy who is a future Hall of Famer is telling you that, it holds a little more weight than if a coach is saying it to you. It was just great playing with him."
Demers expects Marleau to have a similar impact in Toronto, where he will support its young core, including centers Auston Matthews, who turns 20 on Sept. 17, Mitchell Marner, 20, and William Nylander, 21.
"He's a great teammate. He's always happy when he comes into the room and a really great mentor to young guys," Demers said. "He took me under his wing. They're going to be happy with him."