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Just two seasons after retiring from the National Hockey League, Patrick Marleau is back where it all started — the San Jose Sharks hired the league's all-time leader in games played as a player development coach and hockey operations advisor, the team announced on Friday.
“It's rare that you get the opportunity to add someone to your organization that brings a level of talent and character like Patrick Marleau,” team GM Mike Grier said in the official release.
“As one of the top players of his generation, Patty possesses an unlimited wealth of institutional knowledge about the game. Perhaps more importantly, he was a cornerstone piece in the Sharks becoming one of the NHL's most dominant franchises over the last two decades and knows what it takes to win and succeed in the NHL. We are extremely happy to bring Patty back into the Sharks family as we continue building a team that our fans can be proud of.”
Marleau was drafted by the Sharks with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft, and played a remarkable 23 seasons in the league. He is the all-time leader in games played with 1,779, and leads San Jose in goals, even strength goals, power play goals, points, shots and games played.
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“I'm extremely excited to be officially back as part of the Sharks organization,” Marleau explained on Friday. “I'm looking forward to working with our players on the ice to help them reach their full potential and sharing the knowledge I have garnered from playing 23 years in the National Hockey League. I'm also eager to work with Mike and his staff, and to continuing to learn about the game and business side of hockey.”
The 43-year-old will officially collaborate with the Sharks development staff and work with the team's AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda to develop prospects and promote on-ice skill development. He will also serve as an advisor to Grier and the team's hockey operations staff, per the release.
Patrick Marleau was selected to the 2023 class of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, and has already had his number permanently retired by the team. His induction ceremony will take place at a Sharks home game at SAP Center in November.
