SAN JOSE — Unwittingly or not, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer provided the perfect argument for Patrick Marleau’s eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Tuesday night, after Marleau followed up Monday’s four-goal explosion in Colorado by recording his second game-winning goal in 24 hours, DeBoer marveled about his 37-year-old forward, noting that Marleau still has “a lot of gas in the tank.”
That statement should answer both burning questions related to Marleau: Should the Sharks re-sign him when his contract expires this season, and is he a hall of famer?
With 498 career goals, Marleau soon will become the 45th player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal plateau.