Patrick Marleau has been through just about everything in his 20 seasons as an NHL hockey player. But Monday’s game in San Jose will be, of course, his first time playing in an arena that he formerly called home.
Although he doesn’t have any personal experience to rely upon for the game, he recalled what happened to his good buddy Joe Thornton when the former Bruins captain made his first appearance in Boston just a few weeks after being dealt to the Sharks.
Thornton was issued a game misconduct less than six minutes into that Jan. 10, 2006 reunion for checking Bruins defenseman Hal Gill from behind.