Former Sharks forward joins team in player development role

A San Jose Sharks legend has officially rejoined the team. Patrick Marleau has rejoined the organization as a player development coach and hockey operations advisor, the team announced today.

In his new role, Marleau will collaborate with the Sharks’ development staff, focusing on on-ice skill development for both Sharks prospects and players with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Additionally, he’ll serve as an advisor to Grier and the hockey operations staff.

Grier expressed his excitement about the re-addition of Marleau, a former teammate of his, to the organization:

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. 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’s career in and of itself boasts numerous remarkable achievements, including becoming the NHL’s all-time regular season games played leader surpassing Gordie Howe’s long-standing record of 1,767 games. With an astonishing 1,779 regular season games played, Marleau ranks among the top offensive players in NHL history (among career totals), although his peak may not have been as high as some of his peers.

The former captain will play a pivotal role in developing San Jose’s current class of the future, including forwards Filip Bystedt, Thomas Bordeleau, William Eklund and defenseman Mattias Havelid.