Among many dilemmas the San Jose Sharks face this offseason, none looms larger than the decision the franchise must make about its two longest-tenured members, pending unrestricted free agents Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton.
The first two picks from the 1997 draft hold the top two spots in goals, assists, and points with the franchise, and no pair of players has meant more to the franchise than Thornton and Marleau.
As it has to every player before them, age has started to catch up to the duo. Marleau failed to crack 50 points for the second consecutive season, the first time since his second and third seasons in the midst of the dead puck era.