Patrick Marleau set to make announcement on hockey future

Patrick Marleau sat out the entire 2021-22 season and fans will soon get to know what his hockey future will look like. The veteran forward will be making an announcement “regarding the future of his hockey career” next week.

The San Jose Sharks announced Friday that they will host a press conference with Marleau scheduled for Tuesday. It will be attended by both Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, and Sharks interim general manager Joe Will.

Many believe Marleau will announce his retirement from playing.

Marleau is a Sharks’ icon player, who was selected second overall by the Sharks in the 1997 NHL Draft. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in July 2017 and played there for two seasons before his contract was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes and eventually bought out.

He then signed and came back with the Sharks, had a short sting with the Pittsburgh Penguins following a 2020 trade deadline move, and returned once again to San Jose as a free agent.

The 42-year-old forward posted four goals and nine points in 56 games with the Sharks last season, extending his lead as the franchise leader in games played, goals and points. He also became the NHL’s all-time leader in games played last season with 1779, breaking Gordie Howe’s record of 1767 games.

Marleau has 566 goals and 1,197 points over his 20-year NHL career with the Sharks, Maple Leafs and Penguins.

It sounds like he will be calling it a career on Tuesday.