Marleau offers heartfelt advice to Sharks’ 2024 NHL Draft pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If the Sharks draft Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft, the highly-touted prospect can lean on the wisdom of another San Jose franchise legend.
On the eve of the Sharks winning the 2024 NHL draft lottery, Patrick Marleau offered heartfelt advice for the top pick in the upcoming NHL draft.
During Monday’s Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Marleau shared his recipe to finding success in the NHL while addressing reporters. (h/t Bay Area News Group)
“Have your eyes and ears open when you come into the locker room, and just take it all in,” Marleau told reporters. “That work ethic is the biggest thing, and compete. If you bring those things and are willing to learn, you can find yourself in that dressing room for a long time.”
If anybody is qualified to offer advice about longevity it’s Marleau, who holds the NHL record for most regular-season games played with 1,779 appearances in his storied career.
Marleau scored 522 goals and recorded 588 assists in 1,607 career regular-season games for the Sharks after San Jose drafted him No. 2 overall in the 1997 NHL Draft, cementing himself as a franchise icon and beloved figure in the South Bay.
All signs point to the Sharks selecting Celebrini, who has the opportunity to heed Marleau’s words and play his way into the hearts of San Jose fans for generations to come.
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