After spending 21 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Patrick Marleau will see his #12 hung from the rafters in that city after announcing his retirement last year.

Marleau also spent two (well documented) years with Toronto as well as eight games with the Pittsburgh Penguins as he chased the all-time record for games played, which he achieved after spending one final season in San Jose.

Marleau now holds the record for most games played in an NHL career with 1779, passing Gordie Howe. He also finished top-50 all-time in points with 1197, he couldn’t quite get to 1200. He approximately did it, though!

Congrats on the career, Patty. I kinda feel bad that Toronto mucked it up and it ended messily, but the team and the player were just in different places. I’m glad San Jose was happy to play you. But anyway, let’s not fixate on the end, let’s celebrate some of the other 23 seasons. Drafted in 1997, Marleau’s playing career was slightly younger than myself as a human being, so that’s nice. He fathered two children while in the league, named Mitch and Auston. Marleau scored 30 goals seven times in his career, including 44 at his peak in 2010 when he was 31 (midway through his career).

In other news, because getting a guy who was coaching U13 hockey worked out so great last time, the Montreal Canadiens are doing it again, hiring Stéphane Robidas (who was coaching his son in a similar minor league) as their assistant coach. There’s another thing Robidas is known for in these parts, but I just can’t land on the right word.

The Senators signed RFA Mathieu Joseph to a four year contract worth $2.95 million per year. Joseph is a third liner.

ESPN are reporting that the NHL and Adidas are splitting up after their apparel deal ends in 2024. Apparently, the decision to break up came from Adidas. [ESPN]

Adidas will fulfill its remaining two seasons as the NHL’s official supplier of uniforms and apparel, but it will not seek to renew the deal after it expires, the league confirmed to ESPN. Sources told ESPN that Adidas, which has two years remaining on its seven-year deal, was the catalyst in not seeking to renew with the NHL.

From The Branches