As a 22-year NHL veteran and a two-time Olympic gold medallist with Team Canada, Patrick Marleau has no shortage of experience playing alongside some of hockey’s best.
The Pittsburgh Penguins forward spent two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and in that short time developed a close relationship with star winger Mitch Marner, whom he holds in high regard as an elite talent.
“He amazes me,” Marleau said Friday during an appearance on Hockey Central. “I just love watching him play. The way he skates, the way he sees the ice, the way he creates space for himself and that goes into his skating is amazing.”
Marleau spent 19 seasons with the San Jose Sharks before signing with the Maple Leafs in 2017. He scored 27 goals in his first season in Toronto and took Marner and fellow youngster Auston Matthews under his wing.
In addition to praising his skill set, Marleau was impressed with the mindset of Marner, who led the team in scoring in both of Marleau’s seasons in Toronto.
“He does this, he does that and you try to go replicate it and it’s not as easy as it looks that’s for sure, but it’s something that he’s been working on all his life,” Marleau said. “Also, the great thing he has going for him is his attitude off the ice, how he handles things.
“He’s kind of like Jumbo (Marleau’s former Sharks teammate Joe Thornton) in a way where he can have a great time and then flip that switch. As soon as he’s on the ice it’s all business. He knows those different moments where he can relax and have some fun but he was also very passionate and very focussed on being one of the best players in the league and winning.
“A lot of people cannot see that part because they always look at the happy, the smiling and that, but he’s very focussed and very committed.”
Pittsburgh acquired Marleau in late February for a conditional 2021 third-round draft pick and he only suited up in eight games for the Penguins prior to the NHL’s indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19.
The Penguins are slated to take on the Montreal Canadiens in a play-in series once hockey returns and Marleau will be looking to add to his impressive playoff totals. The 40-year-old has 72 career post-season goals, which ranks 14th all-time, directly behind Dino Ciccarelli, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.
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