An early playoff loss has put the San Jose Sharks at a bit of a crossroads.
With the team unable to build on last year's Stanley Cup Final appearance and achieve the goal of being the last team standing, general manager Doug Wilson now faces the dilemma of what to do with longtime Sharks Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, both of whom are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Both players expressed a desire to re-sign with the club on Monday.
Thornton says he wants to come back. "We'll have to see. I'm sure we'll be talking." #SJSharks
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNBCS) April 24, 2017
Related: Sharks' Thornton played through torn MCL, ACL against Oilers
Does Marleau want to come back? "Yeah, it would be nice. We'll see if that's an option." Has not talked to Wilson yet #SJSharks
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNBCS) April 24, 2017
Marleau and Thornton rank in the top three in franchise history in games played, goals, assists, and points, and have both served as captain during their tenures. They've both seen their leadership roles reduced in recent seasons, however, with trade rumors swirling as recently as just prior to the Sharks' run to the Final last season.
Whether Wilson and the Sharks decide to retain their services or keep trending younger remains to be seen.
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