The Athletic Hockey Show - Patrick Marleau on Gordie Howe's games played record, breaking the record in a San Jose uniform, and will he retire at the end of the season?

Episode Date: April 16, 2021

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau joins Scott Burnside and Pierre Lebrun on a special edition of Two Man Advantage, to celebrate being on the cusp of breaking the NHL's all time games played record, which is held by the great Gordie Howe.Patty discusses how the game has changed since he entered the NHL in 1997, how nutrition and his desire to just keep playing has helped with his longevity in the game. Scotty and Pierre surprise Patrick with some antidotes from some of his former teammates including Jumbo Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle, Bryan Marchment and Kelly Hrudey.Plus, hear what Mark Howe thinks of Patrick breaking his dad's record, and how much Mr. Hockey, a fellow Saskatchewan native means to Patrick and his family. Marleau is set to break the record on Monday night in Vegas against the Golden Knights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey, everybody, Scott Burnside here with a special edition of the Athletic Hockey Show, Two Man Advantage, and Pierre LeBrunner joining me and so excited, joining us today from St. Paul, Minnesota, where his San Jose sharks are preparing to face the Minnesota Wild on Friday night. Patrick Marlow, who was on the verge of breaking Gordy House all-time NHL games played record Monday night in Las Vegas. Patrick is great to have you here. I've been thinking about this all day and I was wondering when you were packing for this road trip. You've had a couple road trips since 1997 and I wonder when you were packing for this one whether it felt a little different knowing what was going to happen during this trip.

Yeah, it definitely did. I think, you know, kids are homeschooling. So this morning was a little hectic and then running around going to get COVID testing and coming back. But yeah, definitely had that night in mind pack. for this road trip. You know, as Scotty mentioned, 1997, you started your career. How different has life on the road been for you over the years when you compare the late 90s and to today

and what players, you know, the way players hang out? I mean, it's really almost like three different generations, I would think, that you've seen. Yeah, it's definitely changed over the years for sure. I remember coming into league 18 and I had a great group of veteran guys. And I think by default, going out to dinner with those guys, they start getting you into wine and things like that. Sure.

That was one of the first things that I learned as a rookie was ordering some good bottles of wine, I guess. And then, yeah, I mean, the games changed so much as well over the years. What was the second part of that question? I think I got stuck on the wine. Now I'm thinking of all the wine. Well, no, I'm glad you brought up the wine because that's one of my favorite things in life. And especially when I'm around San Jose. But I remember asking, or it wasn't me, but I was at the news conference at the O2 Cup final when Igor Larianoff,

they had a triple overtime game against Carolina. And someone asked him, I think he was 40 at the time. And he said, you know, how are you staying at this level? And how come you're not tired? He goes, red wine was his answer. But in all seriousness for you, Patrick, I mean, incredible durability, skating like the win all these years. How has your nutrition changed over the years?

Because we know that's changed for athletes. Yeah, it definitely has. I think right when I first started coming in or coming to a league, I think, you know, that was kind of the starting point where guys were getting more focused in the offseason to come in the training camp in shape already, not use it to get in shape. And then for me, as I started to get older and played more years in the league,

I was like, okay, you know, if I want to keep doing this, but I'm going to have to keep looking at different avenues to pursue, whether that be nutrition or different types of workouts, but it slowly has crept in. And then what also has helped lately is, you know, teams are taking more,

have a hands-on approach and having meals prepared for their players so they know what's going into their bodies. You know, the catering on the plane, you know, there's some great places to eat on the road and, you know, you still get those like Philly cheese steaks and, you know, pizza and stuff, but they have the options for, you know, salads.

They bring on juice, all these different types of juices. And so, you know, they take away snacks and and things on the plane so guys aren't eating chocolate bars and all that. So it's definitely evolved and it's a lot easier when you have a team supplying the right of food and the right atmosphere to, you know, to play your best. Patrick, you mentioned the veteran team that you joined in San Jose. And one of the guys who joined, was late, if I'm correct, in your first season was Brian Marchman. He told me today that the first time he played was against. you in your first game and tried to crush you at Center Rice and he said he ended up on the

short end of the stick. But the best part about Brian Marchman, as far as my part of this, is that I understand that he helped introduce you to your wife, Christina, who tells me that when she first saw you, she thought you were a nother at the shark day. Didn't know you were a player. Yeah, yeah, that's, yeah, all that's true. I remember my first shift. I remember I remember, I remember mush trying to, you know, take a good, he was starting his, that was our first game that's two, so he wanted to get his first hit. And I think I tow picked and luckily fell down, and he went over top of me. But, and then, yeah, I, I own the great life that I have with, with my, my lovely wife and family, you know, introducing me to Christina. So, you know, those are

the type of vets. You know, he was looking out for me right from day one. So, what, as soon as he got there, that was great, this great of him to do that for me. Well, if I can just jump in, it's kind of come a little bit for a full circle, for at least from Brian's perspective, because a couple of years ago, I think you were at a leaf training camp and who was at the same camp, but his son Mason. And I must admit, Brian said he's had a little trouble getting his head around the fact that, you know, that you guys were sort of shoulder to shoulder at a training camp.

Yeah. It was his boy. Yeah, no, it was I remember going over to his house like for dinner and, you know, Mason was just a little tight back then. So, you know, playing mini-stick or whatever we did,

have dinner together there, but he's not that little tyke anymore. He's a big boy and he can handle himself out there. So it's good to see that, you know, him having some success. So Patrick, I also reached out to a couple of your former teammates. So Scotty, I'm going to go through

these two former teammates here if you'll let me go on a little run here. One of them is Dan Boyle, who started by texting back that you're such a great person, happy, quiet, just basically this amazing guy, as he says. But he was trying to find something funny to share. And he said, you know, for many years when Dan played in San Jose, he was in charge of the music in the Shark's dressing room. And he says, and as a lot of people watching this and listening to the snow,

Dan Boyle even toured with or was a Faith No More one year and that's sort of his style of music. Mine too, by the way. And so he says in this text here, all the years he played the music in the room, the look on this quote, Saskatchewan never heard anything out of this ordinary face of Patrick when I played some of my gems was quite priceless.

That's one of my favorite memories. He had like a look of a deer in the headlights. I think it took him about six years, but I'm confident I converted them into a couple of songs. Yeah, no, there's a, he has some really hardcore stuff that I was shaking my head at, but, no, we, there's a, we went to a couple concerts with them and I, I kind of asked him like, hey, what do we, you know, what, what kind of music do these guys play? And he goes, oh, you don't worry, I've been playing in the locker room, you'll love it. So, and I did. So he wasn't too far off. Now, of course, I reached out to Joe Thornton, and I really enjoyed last year. It seems like 10 years ago now, but when we all met in Buffalo, your hotel and you and me and joe sat down and went down memory lane as well but uh joe texted me last night and he said well first of all ask him about the time when we kept rooming together even

though the rules had changed and we didn't have to room together anymore as he goes we were just having too much fun so we kept it up for another year but yeah that that was that was that was part of i was going to say that in the year uh how things had changed on the road over the years but that that That was one of the things, having roommates. And, yeah, I'll never forget that. They changed the rules, and we just kept rooming together. It was just, it just seemed to be easier. And then I think they tried giving us a couple other different roommates,

and then we were both, we're out, we're going for our own room. Now, he's got a couple more here. You might be mad at him for this one. But he says, asking him about how he loves to play cards in Vegas, he's like a kid at the tables. Yeah, I, I, I enjoy it with all the guys there having a good time in Vegas. Those are, I mean, those are the good memories, too, you know,

going there as a group and blowing off some esteem sometimes. In fact, before the goal of nights had a team, really, back in the day, exactly. And finally, on a serious note, he did say that Patrick Marlow likes you. He literally will do anything for you. He really is a guy with the biggest heart. That was from Jumbos' Last Text last night. And, you know, that's a relationship, I think, that you guys. will always be identified with each other for all your years in San Jose together.

And interestingly, you bolted first to go to Toronto and now he's done that. I mean, you guys kept in touch and to see how he likes it compared to you? Yeah, we've been texting. We've FaceTime right at the start of the season. And I think he was over at Austin's place when I was FaceTiming him. So he's taking care of those guys now. Like you did. Like you did, yeah.

Yeah. And he can see how great they are as people and as players. So it's good to see. But, yeah, it's been a little weird seeing in the Toronto uniform, but I'm sure it was when I was there as well. Patrick, one of the great things about my chat with Christina was that it also led to her sending a few pictures. And there's a picture of your son Landon at the All-Star game in 2009 in Montreal, I think.

and it's perfect because he's got a Joe Sackett action figure in one hand and a Gordy Howe action figure and another. But can you share the story? I think you actually ran into Gordy at the All Star weekend. He may have actually played some mini sticks with Landon and some of the other kids. Do I have that right? Yeah, you know, he did. At the All Star Games, they have an HLPA room where you can go get food and everything. So we were down there and there's always a hallway outside of those big rooms.

So he brought our mini sticks and we were outside the room playing mini sticks. I don't know for how long. And here comes Garty around the corner and he just walked right up to me, grabbed the stick and started playing with land. And I think I left my coat. My phone was in my coat or everything. But I'll never forget that image or forget that day. He took that time to play with my son.

And I'm like, he has no idea. idea who he's playing with right now. But I tell that story to him now and he gets a big smile in his face. Did you, over the years, did you have, I mean, obviously, you and Gordy are both from Saskatchewan from small towns. Did you cross paths much with Gordy at all? I mean, apart from being in Montreal to All-Star? Did you have those kinds of moments as you were going through your career or when you were younger? There are very few, I think. But we always knew when he was in the building,

and you go play Detroit. And, you know, he's, you see him in the hallway and you're kind of, you know, he's one of those, he's a hockey god legend. And you just, you know, maybe he'll see you and say hi or maybe you can go over and say hi real quick. But, yeah, he probably, you know, a handful of times over the seasons,

the All-Star games, things like that. But he was always really, genuine nice guy and took the time to come shake my hand or you know talk talk about Saskatchewan a little bit here and there so it was uh and i always loved when he grabbed your hand because he has his big old big old uh big all hands on him and i love growing up listening to the stories that you know that he would come back in the summer and you know throw hay bales and and do all these things and i'm like hey i did that growing up um so it's just uh to see somebody from and to be, you know, one of the greatest of all time and to have them from small town

Saskatchewan, give me a lot of hope of maybe making it one deck. And what does this record mean to you, Patrick? I mean, this is as tough as sport as there is and to have been able to, you know, answer the bell all these years, all these games. What does that mean to you? I know you're a humble guy, but deep down to, you know, to be associated, obviously, with Gordy Howland breaking the record, but, you know, your resilience and your ability to you know to play at this level yeah i there's always something about me that's that i've always just

i just want to play and just want to be on the ice and that's part of the probably part of the reason i didn't have that many pelling man's either i don't i don't want to go sitting there i want to be on the ice i don't and whatever i could do if i you know i just wanted to be out there trying to you know help our team win and um i don't know i don't know exactly where i was going with that, but I mean, I think what's so great about what's going on now is I'm getting text messages and I'm able to thank people that have supported me throughout my whole career. And you don't get to play that many games by yourself. Just, you know, it's you and you alone.

It's a support stuff. It's my right from the start, right from my parents, my brother and sister, and my, obviously, my wife and kids. I think all the sacrifices that they've gone through over the years to let me play and follow my dream of winning a stand-up and playing hockey. I can't thank them enough. And then, you know, the chiropractors, training staff,

there's so many people that you get the meat along the way that will help you out. It's crazy. And the more and more interviews I'm doing and the more texts I'm getting, it's not a short list. It's a very long list that took a lot of people to help. me get to this point. You talk about, you know, sort of where you came from and, you know, what your parents taught you growing up. And I talked to your mom and dad. And your dad said the same thing. He said, you never like to go to the sin bin. And you always worried if you were going to get the penalties.

But I talked to Mark Howe the other day. And Mark said, you know, he thought of his dad at the end. And his dad still wanted to keep playing. And he said, We never talked about records at the table. We never talked about those kinds of things because it didn't matter. And he said, I'm sure it's the same with Patrick. I watch him and he looks like someone who plays because he still loves the game that way. And I thought it was kind of touching because he said, I know my dad would love to have been at the game to watch Patrick break my record.

And I thought that was really, that was really kind of special. That is very special to hear that. And I think that is kind of how I feel about, you know, I'm just playing. I just keep playing. You know, I just love playing. And but I'm also, I've also been told. And I would have enough of our people to try and, you know, really enjoy this time. And I'm going to look forward to, you know, if, you know, happens, then just thanking everybody

who's helped me along the way. And you're doing it in the Sharks uniform, Patrick. And, you know, what does that mean to you? and, you know, because you were traded to Pittsburgh last year. You signed with Toronto a few years ago, but you're back where, of course, it's really been your NHL home. Yeah, it's nice to be able to do it in a sharks uniform for sure. And like you said, being, I haven't played here so many years, so many games, it's, you know, fitting that it is going to be in a sharks unit farm.

And, you know, the sharks have obviously been great to myself and my family throughout my whole career. So I'm excited about that. Are you nervous about it, Patrick? I mean, I wonder what, because you're real close now. And I wonder if there is a sense of nerves about it or whether you try and push that away, even though it's getting closer by the minute. What do you think it'll be like for you? Yeah, I'm trying to just trying to push it away, I think. Just take it one game at a time here.

But I've also, like I said, I've been doing interviews. I've been talking to a lot of people and getting text messages. and, you know, guys coming up to me after games or even during the game saying something. And so it's, you know, it's definitely on the forefront of the mind, but they just go out and try and play. But I'm super, super appreciative to, you know, all the people that have reached out and, you know, wish me luck. I saw that last week that, I guess, Anzi Kopitare and Jeff Carter went over after the game was over. And, you know, the Kings and the Sharks. I covered both those playoffs series as intense as it gets,

but I think the respect factor there, and what was that like to hear from them at the buzzer? Yeah, I mean, that right there, what you said was huge. I mean, I think I played with Carter at the Olympics and things like that, but having those just those battles, you know, in those playoff battles, It's like you said, that respect. And for them to take the time to come over and shake my hand, it was something I'll never forget. And it's really special that they did that.

Have you mentioned the people who've been reaching out. And has there, you know, has there been someone that surprised you? Or like, are you hearing people from back in Aneroid or Vanguard where you first started to play your games or in Swiftcurt? Or, you know, we played your hockey in junior hockey in Seattle. Are there people that have maybe surprised you? You're like, oh, my gosh, I hadn't heard from them in a hundred years. Well, yeah, kind of funny thing during this quarantine, one of my teammates from Junior started a group chat for all the old Seattle Thunderbirds.

So they're definitely, in the group chat, they're saying some really nice things about me and congratulating me. And that's something pretty cool that I look forward to, you know, see, guys again one day. And we've got to be careful here. I don't want us to sound like we're saying this is that, you know, this is your final year. You've never said that, Patrick. So I got to be careful here that we're not overlapping those sentiments. No, no. Still look forward, still look forward to playing. That's well, I mean, you know, you know what Jumbo says, five more years in his case. Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, five more, five more, bud. There you go, a little Jumbo, action there from Patrick Marlow.

That's great. Yeah. Well, Patrick, it's been great to catch up with you. It's so exciting. I'll tell you, I've been, you know, talking to some people for quite some time now. And I can tell you, people can't wait to get back to me to talk about you. I was talking to Kelly Rudy with whom you stayed during your rookie season, Kelly and his family. and he still remembers the Christmas gift you bought.

He and the family was a DVD player. And he still remembers you helping put together the Barbie camper and a basketball hoop for the girls. And do you remember those moments when you were basically the big brother for the Rudy girls? Yeah, no, those are, that was, you know, I can't thank them enough for taking me in, but those are some pretty special times, you know,

with Kelly and Donna and their family. Yeah, that was a late night. Those weren't too easy to put together, that's for sure. Well, listen, Patrick, I just want to say on my behalf, you know, I've covered the league for 26 years, and you've been one of the classiest hockey players to be around, to talk to, to interview. This is the way you've handled yourself. And, you know, sometimes I think some of these achievements and records happen to athletes for a reason. I think, you know, I really do believe in karma.

and I think in your case, this is an amazing achievement, and I think it's absolutely warranted. And I know you hate talking about yourself, so the next few days are going to be probably, that's going to be the tough side for you. But I just want to say congratulations to you. Oh, thank you very much. And it's been a pleasure, you know,

working with you over these years and getting to know you. And I appreciate that. All right, just before we let you go, now we were talking with Ben Guerrero from the Sharks about how to set this. up and we were joking that the Marlowe statue will go right next to the Lebrun statues. And I can only hope that you get in a clause in there, Patrick, that yours has to be, the pedestal has to be at least six inches higher.

Just make sure that's happened. You know, you know what? The only guy from the east that came out to cover the sharks over the years, you know, like all, you know, like someone had to go watch some pretty amazing hockey. And it was. Holy smokes. A lot of great playoff memories. All right. Well, Patrick, thanks for coming to hang out with Pierre and I tonight.

And I echo Pierre's sentiments. And the best of luck between, well, whenever you decide to hang them up, but certainly through Monday night when you will become the all-time NHL games played player, good on you. And thanks for coming and spending some time with us. Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it. All right, my friend, oh, that was great to chat with Patrick. and I'm curious, a couple of things I want to ask you. Here, I'm sure, you know, even, you know, as you mentioned, you reach out to Dan Boyle and Joe Thornton.

I'm sure as you've chatted with people as we've approached this milestone, have you had the same kind of feeling? Like, a lot of people I talk to for the story I'm writing on Patrick were like never thought to us to that. Mark Howe, who was amazing and really supporters of Patrick Marlow, as I mentioned, He was like, honestly, I never thought anyone would break my dad's record for games played. And here we are. Yeah, it's, it is amazing, Scott. And, you know, he's, Patrick Marlowe's been such a durable player over the years. And, you know, I was only half joking when I asked him about how different things have changed in terms of what he eats and how he trains.

Because, you know, I guess I should have mentioned this, but I didn't. But I remember my early years when I went to cover Shark's series once in a while. I'd catch the team after the morning skate. eating at original Joe's, which is this sort of famous landmark downtown San Jose, where you get a big bowl of pasta. And, you know, I don't know that they're doing that anymore, I guess is what I'm saying. But, but, you know, the evolution of the game and how he has kept current with that and his skating ability, right? Over all this time, you know, it's a vicious game. And the history of

star players having to endure through adversity and injuries and knocking off games played because of it. It is, that's what's so amazing is that you can play this game at this level and achieve this. Well, I talked to Mike Ritchie, who came to San Jose early in Patrick Marlow's tenure from Colorado. And he's been with the team in a development role for years and years. And he said something very simply. He said, I've seen Patrick change his workout regimen, his diet. it probably 10 times or whatever over the course of his career but you're right if you don't adapt there's no way you're playing at well think about how different the game in he started in 97 i mean

you were you were covering the leaps i was around the leaf back then that was sort of the gary roberts era member where gary roberts had really started a wave of you know the nutrition shakes and that but those were sort of really chiseled muscle hockey players in the mid to late 90s the big defenseman, the Daron Hatchers of the world, Scott Stevens. That's what Patrick Marlowe came into in this league. And to see the evolution where now it's really about being sleek and slender, but tough and durable and sort of, you know, players doing yoga and a lot of players are vegan, all of the stages to have excelled through that and to adapt through that is amazing.

And, you know, I don't think he's kidding when we asked him. He's never come out and said this is his last season, by the way. It wouldn't surprise me if he was back. You know, why not? Before we wrap up, though, in my mind, it's a given. But, you know, never assume anything. But to me, Patrick Marlowe, who is going to, he's going to play more NHL games maybe than anyone will ever play. Is that a sure ticket to the Hall of Fame?

I mean, for me, I assume it is, but what do you think? Is Patrick Marlowe a slam dunk Hall of Famer? Yeah, slam dunk, I feel like I reserve that for, you know, just the elite of the elite. And he is an elite player. But I mean, like, he is a Hall of Famer. Like, there's no hesitation for me. And again, because of this achievement, because of his consistency. And he reminds me a lot in some ways of the way Mark Recky was a Hall of Famer, another guy that

was durable and put up numbers every year and was a great player. I think there's some parallels there for sure. And yeah, and I know that people have debated that with Patrick Marla, whether he is or not to me, to me he is in future all the payment. Well, it's interesting.

You know, the fact that there's not a Stanley Cup ring. I mean, that's, that is a factor for so. But we have to stop that debate because now we're about to go to 32 teams. And on, like,

you know, a lot of the guys with a lot of Stanley Cups are not taking anything away, but are playing in eras where there were six teams and, and, you know, 21 teams. I mean, you're going to have a lot of great players who aren't going to win Stanley Cups. Like, to me, you know, that can't be certainly among the more important criteria, in my opinion, anymore. Right. Yeah. You don't need to raise your voice. I'm not right. I agree. But it's interesting. Sometimes people forget two gold medals for Patrick Marlowe. And I talked to Ken Hitchcock, and I thought he had a lot. I thought he had a

great perspective because of course in both Vancouver and Sochi that Patrick Marlow was sort of the perfect Canadian Olympian because he did whatever he asked him to do. He had no eagle. He was completely, there was no management. He just was self-sufficient. Just did whatever you want. And Ken Hitchcock said that that was, that was, he was such an important player because the younger guys took their cues from how he held himself and how he approached that there. And I thought that was really interesting. And again, you know, that's something that is that is part of a Hall of Fame resume as far as I'm concerned. Yeah. And not easy for those star players when they play for Team Canada to or for any country, but to to adjust your new role, to your reduced role,

right? Yeah. It's a facto reduced. Even Cindy Crosby's role is reduced on Team Canada. because of all the great players you have on the team. And Marlowe was a really good penalty killers in some of those Olympics and smart player, had the trust of the Canadian coaching staff. That's it. Because you don't need every guy to show up with those tournaments and be the guy that has to score.

And so I always thought, you know, I think you're bang on and what Hitch said about Marlowe being one of the guys he didn't have to convince early. He was already there in terms of his role. He understood what it was about. Yeah, good stuff. All right, my friend, it's so much fun to do this. I got to tell you in putting together the story and you and I've been talking about this.

But given the times that we've had for the last year and a half, it's been a real treat to talk to people who invariably talk about what a good human being. Patrick Marlow is. Never mind. Oh, yeah, he is going to pass Gordy Howl's all-time games played record. But he's a really great human being, great teammate, great father, husband, all those kinds of things. So it's been fun to put together. And I can't wait for Monday night to watch. It's going to be, I think it's going to be an emotional one.

History, for sure. I wonder if Joe Thornton got Patrick in trouble with that comment about playing cards in Vegas anyway. That's all good. When you play this many games, there's a lot of water that can go under the bridge. All right, my friend. So what else do we have? We should be talking about, of course, Ian Mendez, Haley Salvin, on the Athletic Hockey Show, Monday at The Athletic. So don't miss that.

And you should check out our comments section for, each podcast episode at the Athletic app and rate and subscribe to the Athletic Hockey Show on Apple. And if you aren't a subscriber, go to theathletic.com slash hockey show and receive a subscription for just $3.99 per month. That is incredible. And you and I will be back for our regular edition of Two Man Advantage at the Athletic Hockey Show on next week in our normal time. Pierre, good work by you, my friend. Right on, right on.