Report: Sharks among teams to reach out to Marleau's camp

The San Jose Sharks have reached out to free-agent forward Patrick Marleau's camp, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

A couple of other teams are also in the mix for Marleau's services, LeBrun added.

Marleau had one season remaining on the three-year, $18.75-million contract he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017, but he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes this summer and was bought out shortly thereafter. The 40-year-old was hoping to rejoin the Sharks, but his agent Pat Brisson said in September that the fit between the two sides wasn't there.

At the time, the Sharks wanted to give younger players a chance to play, but it appears general manager Doug Wilson may have changed his mind. So far this season, six rookies have cracked San Jose's lineup during the team's 0-3-0 start.

Joe Thornton believes his old teammate still deserves to be in the NHL.

"(Marleau) should be playing somewhere," Thornton said, according to The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. "I expect he'll be somewhere soon. He skates with us in the summer and he's still the best skater on the ice."

Marleau had one of the NHL's most impressive ironman streaks going, as he went 10 straight seasons from 2009-10 to 2018-19 without missing a single game. But perhaps aside from his durability, Marleau's greatest asset was his speed - even in his late-30s.

However, his play tailed off in the 2018-19 season with the Leafs, as his 16 goals and 37 points were his lowest totals since his rookie campaign in 1997-98.

Marleau remains the Sharks' all-time leader in games played, goals, and points. He and Thornton formed one of the league's most prolific duos during their time together in the Bay Area, and the pair won an Olympic gold medal while skating on a line for Team Canada in 2010.

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