Marleau officially announces retirement
SAN JOSE » Patrick Marleau felt he could still play.
Early last summer after a disappointing season with the Sharks, Marleau maintained his workout regimen and kept his focus, hoping another NHL team would call and give him an opportunity to play and continue his chase for a Stanley Cup.
“I was still training and hoping that something would come across, but obviously nothing did,” Marleau said. “I was still trying to keep ready and that was a tough balance.”
Marleau seemed at peace Tuesday, officially announcing his retirement following a 23-season professional career in which he became the NHL’s all-time leader in games played, established himself as a Sharks legend, and built a resume that’s worthy of a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Marleau said he finalized his decision to formally announce his retirement last month.
“I knew it was I was going to retire a long time ago,” Marleau said. “But I finally built up enough courage to get up here and speak and announce my retirement.”
Marleau played an NHLrecord 1,779 regular-season games and his marks of 566 goals and 1,197 points now rank 23rd and 50th, respectively, in league history.
Marleau, who was drafted second overall by the Sharks in 1997, is the franchise leader in several individual statistical categories, including games played (1,607), goals (522), and points (1,111). He also helped Team Canada win gold at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, the 2003 World Championships, and the 2004 World Cup.
Marleau’s No. 12 jersey number will likely be raised to the rafters at SAP Center sometime next season, team president Jonathan Becher said.
Several hundred fans showed up at SAP Center on Tuesday morning for the announcement, as Marleau was joined on stage by Becher and interim general manager Joe Will.
Marleau thanked everyone in the Sharks organization, as several former teammates, along with trainers, and equipment personnel, attended the announcement. Other former teammates like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, and Logan Couture offered recorded messages.
Marleau became emotional as he thanked his wife Christina, and their boys Landon, Brody, Jagger, and Caleb for their support, especially in the last year when he was away from the
NHL for the first time since he was 16.
“It was a lot harder than I thought it was gonna be. It’s been hard,” Marleau said. “I think a lot of people sometimes say oh, yeah, everything’s OK. But it’s been difficult. I mean, I’ve played this game pretty much all my life and love it, and I’m getting a whole new found respect for my wife and my family and all the things that they had to go through when I was gone, just the day-to-day.
“But it’s my new challenge and what I’m looking forward to doing now. So I can’t wait to become the best father and husband I can be.”
Marleau played 20-plus of his 23 NHL seasons with the Sharks, along with two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and eight regular-season games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2020. Marleau also had 72 goals and 55 assists in 195 career playoffs games.
Marleau, 42, said he only finalized his decision to retire a few weeks ago. Tuesday morning, Marleau published a lengthy article in The Players’ Tribune, a post titled, “Thank You, Hockey.”
“It’s bittersweet for sure, but I have so much to look forward to,” Marleau wrote. “Who knows what the world has in store for me.
If you would have told that kid on the frozen pond that he would break a gamesplayed record held by none other than Gordie Howe, he would have thought you were crazy.
“It was never something I aimed for; it was just me loving this game so much that I never, ever wanted to hang up my skates. I am beyond lucky to have had the career I had, but I did not get here by myself.”