There was something familiar missing in San Jose when the Sharks opened training camp Friday.
For the first time since 1996, the Sharks took the ice for their initial preseason practice without Patrick Marleau on the team. The franchise’s career leader in games and scoring left as a free agent for Toronto this summer.
“I’ve spent a lot of years with him. It is kind of strange,” said Joe Thornton, who came to San Jose in 2005. “It’s his birthday today, too. It’s a little weird, but he’s going to do great up in Toronto.”
Marleau had been with San Jose since being picked second overall in 1997 but left the Sharks to sign an $18.