The next step toward Patrick Marleau's potential return to the Sharks has been taken.
On Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded the veteran winger to the Carolina Hurricanes in a salary-cap dump. While early reports stated the 'Canes would try to convince Marleau to play for them, the veteran winger's desire to return to San Jose has been well-documented.
Any attempt to convince Marleau to play in Carolina apparently fell on deaf ears, as general manager Don Waddell announced Thursday that the Hurricanes would be buying out the 39-year-old.
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SIGN UP HERE Marleau is coming off a season where he tallied 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists), his lowest full-season total since his rookie year. He notched 31 points in the 2012-13 season, but only played in 48 games due to the NHL strike.
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The Sharks have a lot of decisions ahead of them this offseason, with Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist all hitting unrestricted free agency.
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Marleau likely will be on the Sharks' backburner for now, but don't be surprised to see him wearing teal next season.