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Patrick Marleau may have just moved another giant step closer to returning to the San Jose Sharks.
The Carolina Hurricanes bought out Marleau’s contract on Thursday, five days after acquiring the 39-year-old from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a salary dump move, the News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. reported.
Hurricanes will buy out Marleau, Don Waddell said. Owe him his $3 million signing bonus now and $833,333 split over the next two years.
— Luke DeCock (@LukeDeCock) June 27, 2019
Marleau has been vocal about returning to San Jose, where he spent the first 19 years of his NHL career and was beloved by teammates and fans alike. Marleau’s desire to come back to the Sharks helped fuel the trade to Carolina, which took on the $6.25 million cap hit from the last year of his deal in exchange for both a conditional first-round NHL draft pick next year as well as a seventh-round choice.
After attempting to see if Marleau would be open to play in Carolina, the Hurricanes decided to buy out his contract, which paves the way to re-signing with the Sharks.
However, while Marleau’s family (wife and four children) are moving back to the South Bay regardless of where he plays his 20th NHL season, there’s still no definitive word on the level of the Sharks’ interest. Marleau had his worst statistical full season since his 1997 rookie year in San Jose, scoring just 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) for the Maple Leafs, but he’s still valuable even if a third- or fourth-line forward.
In a recent interview with NHL.com, Marleau said his family’s love of San Jose is what’s driving his playing decision. He’d love to rejoin the Sharks, but has been open to playing elsewhere near the West Coast.
“Everything is based on that — family,” Marleau said. “I wanted to kind of be with them. Our one son, it’s based on his schooling and what was best for him. It was at the point where my wife and kids were planning on coming back (to the South Bay) already. It kind of ties it all together. Hard to explain it all.
“Basically, for the kids’ schooling and stuff, we thought we could get the help and support we needed here. With four boys, it’s a little bit easier here with family around for my wife.”
First things first. San Jose has some cap issues itself that are complicating negotiations with its own free agents like Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist, all of whom the Sharks would like to retain in a perfect world. Marleau wouldn’t seem to command much more than a minimum deal from the Sharks.
The Hurricanes will pay off Marleau’s $3 million remaining from his signing bonus in Toronto as well as two-thirds of his base salary of $1.25 million divided over the next two years ($416,667 per season), according to CapFriendly.com. Thus, Marleau would still be in line to receive his same $4.25 million salary this coming season if the Sharks only paid him a little more than the $650,000 league minimum.
With the recent retirement of Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, Marleau (second overall pick) and the Sharks’ Joe Thornton (top overall pick) are the only players still active from the 1997 draft.