Sharks’ Legend Patrick Marleau Officially Retires From NHL

Patrick Marleau with the Maple Leafs in 2018
Patrick Marleau with the Maple Leafs in 2018. Photo by Kevin Schultz/CSM/Shutterstock (10042855d)

The San Jose Sharks’ legendary center Patrick Marleau announced his decision to retire from professional hockey. Marleau is bowing out after playing 23 seasons in the NHL with Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Marleau last played during the 2020-21 NHL campaign, when he scored four goals and dished five assists in 56 games with the Sharks. He spent the 2021-22 season as a free agent. 

“It’s bittersweet for sure, but I have so much to look forward to,” Marleau wrote in a letter published in Players’ Tribune. “Who knows what the world has in store for me.”

Marleau entered the league as the second overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Sharks. He went on to spend 21 years with the organization over the course of three separate stints. During that time, he set a number of franchise records, including most goals scored (522), most points contributed (1,111), and most game-winning goals (101).

Patrick Marleau didn’t manage to win the Stanley Cup with the Sharks, which caused him to leave the franchise twice in an attempt to lift the elusive trophy. The first time he left was in 2017 when he joined the Maple Leafs. Despite productive two stints with the Leafs, Marleau never got out of the first round in Toronto. Then, midway through the 2019-20 campaign, Marleau joined the Penguins to pursue the Stanley Cup in Pittsburg but also didn’t get very far.

Regardless of his failure to win the Stanley Cup, Marleau still retired with a Hall of Fame-worthy resume. He played 1,779 games in the NHL, which is more than any other player in history. He also scored 566 goals and provided 631 assists for a total of 1,197 points.

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