Patrick Marleau had his jersey retired by the San Jose Sharks in 2023, and now, two seasons later, he gets to share the rafters of SAP Center with Joe Thornton.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s going to be great to be able to look up in the rafters and see a 12 and a 19 side by side. It’s going to be really special,” Marleau said before yesterday’s Legends Game.
Marleau was asked about what he remembers about hearing about the trade and that the only player picked ahead of him in the 1997 NHL Draft was joining him.
“We were in Dallas, and actually, the trade happened after our pre-game warm-up. I just remember three guys he was traded for, and we’re all getting them dressed and getting ready to go. It was a bit of a whirlwind for everybody,” Marleau explained. “I think it was the next day, went to the airport and picked them up, and then went and then played the next day. It just happens real quick, but as soon as you hear that a guy like that is coming to your team, you’re super excited. He made our team cup contenders as soon as he was on the roster.”
Assists were always Joe Thornton’s favorite pass time. 🍎
Here are some Jumbo Joe highlights in honor of his jersey being retired in San Jose on Saturday! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/uhYiyZyXpY
— NHL (@NHL) November 22, 2024
Thornton’s impact on the players around him was remarkable. The season he joined the Sharks, Jonathan Cheechoo won the Rocket Richard trophy with 56 goals.
“He made everybody around him better. He had a knack for that. He knew exactly how he wanted players to play with him and where they needed to be,” Marleau said.”If you went to those spots, you were going to have the puck on your stick, and you were going to have some really good looks at the net.”
Thornton is one of the best passers of his generation and of all time. As linemates, he and Marleau were a perfect match. Marleau said he felt Jumbo took less money to stay in San Jose, which helped the team remain a contender for so long.
“I think that’s probably why we were so good for so long. We had guys willing to take less, to try and bring other guys in to help us,” Marleau explained. “I don’t think you see too many teams be as good as for as long as we were. It was a special group and a special time. Jumbo was right there at the forefront.”
Make sure you bookmark THN’s San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Sharks Legends Game: Joe Pavelski Returns To San Jose To Honor Joe Thornton
Sharks Reveal Rosters For Joe Thornton’s Legends Game
Should The Sharks Trade Or Extend Mikael Granlund?
Askarov Brilliant In Debut But Sharks Fall To Blues 3-2 In Shootout
San Jose Proclaims Nov. 23 Will Forever Be Joe Thornton Day
