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Patrick MarleauCanadian professional ice hockey player
Date of Birth: 15.09.1979
Country:  Canada |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Patrick Denis Marleau was born on September 15, 1979, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. He began his junior career with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL), spending two seasons with the team. As a rookie, Marleau scored 32 goals and earned 74 points in the 1995-1996 season. In 1996-1997, he was named captain of the Thunderbirds, improving his totals to 51 goals and 125 points for the season, placing third in the league in both categories. He finished second in voting for Player of the Year, behind only Peter Schafer of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Draft and NHL Debut
Marleau was drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, while his former Thunderbirds teammate Joe Thornton was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins. Marleau developed into a top offensive player under Sharks head coach Darryl Sutter, who also taught him the importance of strong defensive play.
Rise to Captaincy
When Sharks captain Owen Nolan stepped down after five seasons in 2002-2003, Mike Ricci, Vincent Damphousse, and Alyn McCauley were considered potential replacements. However, the captaincy was not handed out until halfway through the 2003-2004 NHL season, when Marleau was given the "C." He had proven his worth the previous season, earning 57 points.
NHL Achievements
Marleau's 2006-2007 campaign saw him tally 78 points in 77 games, and in January 2007, he played in his second NHL All-Star Game, scoring a goal. He signed a four-year, $22.6 million contract extension in August 2007 to remain with the San Jose Sharks through the 2009-2010 season. Despite surpassing the 500-point mark that season, Marleau's production dipped to 48 points in 2007-2008.
In 2009, Marleau was named to the NHL All-Star Game in Montreal as an injury replacement for Pavel Datsyuk. Head coach Todd McLellan stripped him of the captaincy that summer. Rob Blake was named the new captain on September 3rd, but an injury to Blake led to Marleau serving as an alternate captain alongside Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle.
Later Career Highlights
Marleau recorded a hat-trick against the Edmonton Oilers on November 27, 2009, helping the Sharks win 5-4. On December 1st, he appeared in his 900th NHL game, scoring twice against the Ottawa Senators. He became the franchise's fastest player to reach the 30-goal mark just 47 games into the season on January 12, 2010, against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Marleau was named to the Canadian team that participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on December 30, 2009.
