Patrick Marleau announces retirement from hockey

“It’s bittersweet for sure, but I have so much to look forward to,” said Marleau in his Players’ Tribune article. “Who knows what the world has in store for me.”

Marleau played in the NHL for 23 seasons, mostly with the San Jose Sharks, who selected him second overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs later in his career, and during his second stint with the Sharks, the team dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline.

Marleau retires as the all-time leader in games played with 1,779, passing Gordie Howe in his final season in 2020-21 in his third stint with the Sharks. Over his career, Marleau totaled 566 goals and 631 assists for a total of 1,197 points, including a career high 44 goals in 2009-10 and a career high 52 assists and 86 points in 2005-06.

“If you would have told that kid on the frozen pond that he would break a games-played record held by none other than Gordie Howe, he would have thought you were crazy,” said Marleau. “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.”

Marleau retires as the San Jose Sharks’ franchise leader in games played, goals, and points in the regular season. He also has the most games played, goals, and points in the playoffs with the Sharks.