SAN JOSE — If Patrick Marleau wants to play another season — and there’s been no indication that he’s thinking about retirement — then Logan Couture would like to see him come back in a Sharks uniform.
“I would love to have Patty back. Unfortunately, it’s not my call,” Couture said Saturday morning before the Sharks’ game against Marleau and the Pittsburgh Penguins. “I realize this is a business and (general manager) Doug (Wilson) is going to do whatever he can to make our team successful next season.
“If Patty’s here, then we’ll be happy to have him. If not and he’s playing somewhere else, we’ll be pulling for him until we play him.”
Marleau, who was traded to the Penguins on Monday for a conditional 2021 third round draft pick, is playing in his 1,718th NHL game Saturday night. He is the Sharks’ all-time leader in several statistical categories, including points (1,102) and games played (1,551).
With another healthy season, Marleau, 40, would become the NHL’s all-time leader in games played, passing record holder Gordie Howe, who played in 1,767 games. Howe played with the Detroit Red Wings from 1945-1971 and in 80 games in 1979-80 in one final NHL season with the Hartford Whalers.
Marleau has said he is not thinking about Howe’s record, with his focus solely on winning a Stanley Cup. His trade to the Penguins reflected those priorities, as the Sharks are well out of the playoff mix and Pittsburgh, despite entering Saturday on a five-game losing streak, is in third place in the Metropolitan Division.
When then-Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said Oct. 25 that Marleau’s goal “is to break Gordie’s record,” Marleau used the Twitter account of his wife, Christina, to respond, saying, “I don’t think anyone can set out to break a games played record. There are so many things that can happen, and that is not my goal. My one and only goal is to win a Cup. That’s it. Anything else is just gravy.”
Marleau has played in 848 consecutive regular season games since April 9, 2009. He had 10 goals and 10 assists in 58 games with the Sharks this season, and in two games with the Penguins, he’s averaging 14 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time.
Marleau is expected to play on the Penguins’ third line Saturday night with center Teddy Blueger and right wing Brandon Tanev.
While it makes sense from a sentimental standpoint to have Marleau break the all-time games played record in a Sharks uniform, it might also make financial sense.
The Sharks might be in a salary cap crunch again this offseason and Marleau, if he is willing to return on an economical contract, will have value in a depth forward role. Marleau signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Sharks on Oct. 9.
“I think he can still play at this level and be effective and contribute,” Couture said when asked if Marleau could play beyond this season.
“Certain minutes, whether it’s third, fourth line or on a second power play, he still knows how to score goals and go in the right areas. Still an effective player, in my mind.”
