Patrick Marleau

Patrick Denis Marleau (born September 15, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Marleau is the all-time Sharks leader in goals, even strength goals, power play goals, points, shots, and games played, having spent nearly his entire NHL career with the Sharks since being drafted second overall by the franchise in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played his 1,700th NHL game on January 11, 2020, against the Dallas Stars. He is one of only five NHL players to play in 1,700 games, one of just five to play 1,400 with one team, and the youngest to reach both the 1,300- and 1,400-game marks. Marleau was seven games short of becoming the youngest player to play in 1,500 games with one team before signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017. After two seasons with Toronto, he returned to San Jose in 2019. Marleau won gold medals with Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Marleau, one of the most important players of the Sharks for nearly 20 seasons, is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and exhibits a high standard of playing ability combined with gentlemanly conduct. This has earned him two nominations for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and has made him a popular player both among fans and his professional peers. Marleau holds the distinction of playing the most NHL games (both regular season and playoffs) without winning the Stanley Cup, an active streak as of the end of the 2018–19 season.