Patrick Marleau: The Greatest San Jose Shark Ever

Patrick Marleau announced his retirement back in May of 2022. 

Marleau will almost certainly be a Hockey Hall of Famer. He played in a NHL record 1779 regular season games over the course of his 23 year career, breaking Gordie Howe's record which was once thought to be untouchable. Longevity alone does not guarantee such a lofty status, but Marleau was consistently one of the NHL's top forwards in that time. Fifteen times he scored 20 goals. Seven times he scored 30.

Marleau, forever linked as a star player with the San Jose Sharks, finished with 1,197 points (566 goals, 631 assists) over his career. He added 127 points (72 goals, 55 assists) in 195 playoff games. 

Selected by the Sharks second overall in the 1997 draft, Marleau, who was a fantastic skater who could still keep up with NHL players to this very day, retires as the franchise leader in several categories including goals, points, power-play goals, short-handed goals and game-winning goals 101.

Marleau never got a chance to lift the Stanley Cup, though came close in 2016 when the Sharks made the Cup final only to lose to Pittsburgh. Marleau did win back to back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 as a member of Team Canada. He also was a part of championship teams at the 2004 World Cup and 2003 World Championships. 

Unlike most other 2022 retirees, Marleau will be eligible for Hockey Hall of Fame induction in 2024. He did not play in the 2021-22 season, so he has already accrued a year of the mandatory 3 year waiting period after his last professional game.

Whether he will be honoured as a first time eligible player will be interesting. Pavel Datsyuk, Mikko Koivu, Pekka Rinne and Ryan Miller will also be up for consideration for the first time. I suspect Datsyuk and Marleau will both be enshrined immediately.

Another question: Is Patrick Marleau the greatest player in San Jose Sharks' history? Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski certainly deserve to be in the conversation, but I would have to say yes.