Sharks sign Marleau as he nears Howe record

SJ brings back Nieto on one-year deal

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 worth $700,000, according to a source.

Marleau is the Sharks’ all-time 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 regular-season 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 threeplus 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.

Thornton, an unrestricted free agent, was still in Switzerland as of late last week and told Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic that he would take his time before he signed his next contract. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been rumored as a potential landing spot for Thornton, who, like Marleau, is missing a Stanley Cup from his Hall of Fame-caliber resume.