Sharks bring Patrick Marleau back
SJ forward nears Howe’s record; team also signs Matt Nieto to one-year contract
Patrick Marleau will chase the NHL’s all-time games played record as a member of the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks announced Tuesday the return of Marleau and fellow forward Matt Nieto, signing both to one-year contracts.
Both deals are wor t h $700,000, according to a source.
Marleau is the Sharks’ alltime franchise leader in points (1,102), goals (518), power-play goals (161), game-winning goals (101) and games played (1,551). He ranks second in Sharks history in assists (584), trailing only Joe Thornton (804).
Nieto played 221 regularseason games with the Sharks, starting in 2013, before he was
placed on waivers by the team on Jan. 4, 2017. He was claimed by Colorado a day later and spent three-plus seasons with the Avalanche before he became an unrestricted free agent last week.
Marleau has played in 1,723 games, just 45 shy of the NHL’s all-time games played record owned by all-time great Gordie Howe. He has also played 854 consecutive games, an ironman streak that dates to April 9, 2009.
Sharks general manager Doug Wilson hinted at Marleau’s return last week, saying, “players of that nature and the respect for them, where they’re at in their career and what they’ve meant to this franchise, treating them with great respect is something that’s extremely important to us and our organization.”
With the addition of Marleau and Nieto, it would appear the Sharks’ forward group would be almost set. But there is still a question about Joe Thornton and whether he will sign again with San Jose.
Marleau, 41, was drafted second overall by the Sharks in 1997, right behind Thornton, and spent the first 19 seasons of his NHL career with the organization before he signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2017.
“Patrick is one of the most iconic players in San Jose Sharks history, as well as being one of the most respected veterans in the National Hockey League,” Wilson said in a statement. “The leadership he brings on and off the ice has been well documented over his fantastic NHL career and his competitive fire to win is still burning strong. Patrick’s lead-by- example demeanor is inspiring and continues to resonate with our group of younger players.”