San Jose Sharks probably won’t sign Patrick Marleau
It doesn’t sound like the San Jose Sharks are interested in signing Patrick Marleau.
Ever since the Carolina Hurricanes bought out Patrick Marleau, he’s been linked to his former team, the San Jose Sharks. Marleau was drafted by the Sharks with the second overall pick of the 1998 NHL Draft. He’s among the franchise leaders in most offensive categories, so it’s easy to see why people thought it was a fit. However, don’t expect Marleau to return to the Sharks.
According to the Toronto Sun, San Jose isn’t interested in adding him at this point. A recent article from The Athletic suggests there’s a lot of uncertainty regarding Marleau and the Sharks. Given their history, this might seem surprising.
More from Puck Prose
- Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
- This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
- 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
- 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
- This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings
But if you think about it, it makes sense. Marleau hasn’t been with the Sharks since the 2016-17 season. It felt like both sides were ready for a change when he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Marleau might not be a fit on the Sharks anymore, who are looking to win a Stanley Cup. Also, they have quite a bit of depth on the left side, where Marleau has played the past few years with the Leafs.
And while general manager Doug Wilson is never afraid to pull the trigger on bold moves, he typically doesn’t pursue aging players. Unless, of course, that aging player happens to be Joe Thornton, who is still a productive player.
Last season, Marleau had 37 points in 82 games. He hasn’t missed a game since the start of the 2009-10 season. 37 points is the fewest points Marleau has had in a full season since his rookie season back in 1997-98, when he had 32 points in 74 games.
In 1,657 career games, he has 1,166 points, including 551 goals. 508 of those goals and 1,082 of those points have come with the Sharks. Assuming Marleau signed with the Sharks, he would mostly be on either their third line or fourth line. San Jose likes Marcus Sorenson on the third line, so the fourth line is far more plausible.
Though the Sharks likely won’t sign Marleau, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him catch on somewhere else. He can still play at a reasonably high level and he brings a strong veteran presence.
Next. Each NHL Team's Greatest Player Of All-Time. dark
Considering the Hurricanes are paying him quite handsomely for the buy out, Marleau would probably be willing to take a bit of a discount to play for a Stanley Cup contender. He has never won a Stanley Cup, though he came close with the Sharks in 2016.