The San Jose Sharks made the playoffs again in 2016-17 with the hopes of getting back to the Stanley Cup Final. It didn’t turn out that way, as they were bounced in the opening round by Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
That would ultimately be the end to Patrick Marleau’s time in San Jose.
At age 37, and after 1,493 regular season games played with the Sharks since joining the organization as the second overall pick in 1997, Marleau tested the free agent market and landed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a three-year deal with a no-movement clause.
The Sharks still managed to keep Joe Thornton in San Jose, as he signed a one-year deal worth a cool $8 million.
They also gave lucrative long-term contract extensions to goalie Martin Jones and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and signed Latvian forward prospect Rudolfs Balcers to an entry-level contract following his year with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. Taken in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, Balcers scored 40 goals and 77 points with the Blazers last season.
Today at PHT, we’ll discuss the key storylines facing the Sharks heading into training camp.
