Marleau, Sharks reunion set to go

Patrick Marleau is returning to the Sharks.

General manager Doug Wilson announced Tuesday that the Sharks’ all-time leader in games, goals and points is returning to his original team with a oneyear, $700,000 contract after spending the last two seasons with the Maple Leafs.

Wilson said the Sharks remain committed to integrating their young players into the organization. But suspensions, injuries and the Sharks’ slow start changed the plan.

“This is an opportunity to add a veteran into our group to give use some veteran depth that’s versatile, understands how we play, and is very accepting of the role that (coach) Pete DeBoer may need on different nights,” Wilson said before the Sharks’ road game against the Predators.

The Sharks failed to record a point in the first three games for the first time since 1993-94 and only scored three goals in the process. That led to the move to add a veteran forward with a history of production in the NHL.

Marleau left the Sharks two summers ago to sign a threeyear, $18.75 million contract with the Leafs after the Sharks were unwilling to offer a deal longer than two years. Marleau had 43 goals and 41 assists in two seasons with the Leafs before being traded to the Hurricanes in June in a salary cap move.

The Hurricanes then bought Marleau out, making him a free agent. He worked out with his former Sharks teammates in San Jose over the summer but the team opted to go young instead of bringing Marleau back.

That all changed following the rough start for San Jose, and now Marleau is back in teal.

“He’s still fast. He can still skate. He was always in incredible shape because he’s working so hard,” Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said last month. “His body, he’s still like a young guy because he’s working. He’s physical and he can score goals, too.”

Marleau, 40, originally joined the Sharks as the No. 2 overall pick in 1997 and holds franchise records in goals (508), points (1,082) and games played (1,493).

He helped the team reach the conference final four times and the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, but never won it all.