Two of the most recognizable names for the San Jose Sharks have signed three-year contract extensions with the club, as Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau will remain with the club instead of testing the NHL’s free agent waters this July. Thornton’s deal is worth $20.25 million ($6.75 million AAV) and Marleau’s deal is worth just under $20 million ($6.66 million AAV). The deals are slight pay cuts from the $7 million Thornton in currently making, and from Marleau’s current $6.9 million annual salary.
“Patrick and Joe continue to perform at an elite level in the National Hockey League and, most importantly, they make the other players around them better,” general manager Doug Wilson said. “They both made it very clear that they wanted to stay in San Jose and we were able to agree on contracts that fit with our team building philosophy.”
The 34-year-old Marleau was the second overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft for the Sharks. He has played all 1,216 career games with San Jose, recording 425 goals and 483 assists for 908 career points. He is the Sharks all-time leader in points, goals, power play goals, short-handed goals, game-winning goals and shots.
With 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points so far this season, Marleau has been selected for the Canadian Olympic team in Sochi. He was part of the 2010 Gold Medal Winning Team in Vancouver.
Also 34, Thornton was the first overall pick of the Boston Bruins in the same 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He was traded to the Sharks in a four-player deal during the 2005-06 season when he won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies. Thornton has scored 337 goals and 834 assists for 1171 career points in 1173 career games. No player has scored more points since Thornton entered the league in the 1997-98 season.
With 6 goals and 47 assists for 53 points in 51 games this season, Thornton continues to score at better than a point-per-game pace. He was also a member of the 2010 Team Canada squad, but was not selected for the Team headed to Sochi.
The deals ensure that the Sharks have locked up almost all of their core players heading into the off-season. The only remaining key player scheduled to head to free agency is their top defenceman, Dan Boyle.
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Main Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson
