23-year NHL vet and former Leaf would reportedly consider playing for Team Canada if asked
On Thursday morning, it was revealed that former NHLer Eric Staal had signed a PTO with the Iowa Wild in the AHL in an attempt to work his way onto Canada's Olympic team. Now, it appears as though another veteran player may also have interest in playing for Team Canada if asked.
Per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Patrick Marleau, the NHL's all-time leader in games played, may elect to attend the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing next month, if Team Canada requested his services.
Marleau, 42, has played 1,779 career NHL games, spanning across 23 NHL seasons, primarily with the San Jose Sharks, but he also spent a pair of seasons as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and an 8-game cup of coffee in Pittsburgh with the Pens.
Marleau won a pair of Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi. His experience could be invaluable, as long as he still has the legs at this stage in his career.
While Hockey Canada has not yet reached out to Marleau, he could be an intriguing option, should he be willing to risk travelling to China during the most recent wave of COVID-19 wreaking havoc across the globe.
