Few players are as revered among Sharks fans as center Patrick Marleau. The 40-year-old has played 20 seasons with San Jose over two tenures with the club, and is the franchise's all-time leader in games played, points and goals.
Marleau came back to the organization as a free agent in 2019 after two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, hoping to help lead the Sharks to their fifth-straight appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But the Sharks took a major step back this season, finishing in last place in the Pacific Division and missing out on being one of the 24 NHL teams chosen for the league's playoff restart after the coronavirus pandemic paused the season.