42-year-old, Patrick Marleau, announces his retirement after 23 seasons in the National Hockey League. This announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise, as he did not play this season, but this does mark the end of an era. He spent 21 of his 23 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He also spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and a short stint with the Pittsburg Penguins. Marleau holds the NHL record for most games played at 1,779 games. He also was 5th in the league in games played consecutively with 910 games played in a row.
“Thank you, hockey.
For the lessons. The laughs. The tears. You let me live out my dreams.”
Patrick Marleau announces his retirement from the @NHL. https://t.co/US3eJn9cNg
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) May 10, 2022
Patrick Marleau Announces Retirement After 23 Seasons
The End of an Era
Marleau was drafted second overall in 1997, where he was the youngest player in his draft class. Before that, he spent two seasons playing in the Western Hockey League. He made his NHL debut in the 1997-1998 season with the San Jose Sharks. During his time with the Sharks, he became their all-time leader in goals (522) and points (1,111). Additionally, Marleau also holds the franchise record in games played; he played 1,607 games with the Sharks. He was also named the Sharks player of the year in 2004, 2009, and 2010. The veteran forward ends his career with 566 goals, 631 assists, and 1,197 career points.
Although he never won a Stanley Cup, he is no stranger to winning massive trophies and titles. Marleau won the gold medal with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014. Before that, he made his appearance in the NHL All-Star game three times: in 2004, 2007, and 2009. He was also a Lady Byng nominee twice. There is no doubt that Marleau made an impact on the game in his 23 years. And the Sharks will have some big shoes to fill to find another dedicated player that will share the same leadership roles. He has dedicated a good portion of his life to hockey and will certainly be missed around the NHL.
