SAN JOSE, Calif. _ With the Sharks' postseason hopes looking dim and the NHL trade deadline now four weeks away, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau both said Sunday they haven't thought about the possibility of being dealt to a contending team.
"I really, I need to think about that," Thornton said. "Obviously, this little homestand is going to be important for our team. But I haven't thought about it at all. I'm just trying to win games here and see how it goes.
"I'm still optimistic we can still make a run at it, I really am. We'll have to see how these next couple weeks play out and then we'll go from there."
Thornton, 40, signed a one-year, $2 million contract _ that includes a no-movement clause _ with the Sharks on Sept. 6. Marleau also signed a one-year deal with the Sharks, joining the team Oct. 9 for the NHL minimum salary of $700,000, although he does not have a similar no movement clause.
"Not even thinking about that right now," Marleau said about moving to another team before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. "It's about getting into the playoffs for us right now. That's where my focus is. We're going to have to put some good runs together to make that happen."
Entering Monday's home game with the Anaheim Ducks, the Sharks (21-25-4) are in 13th place in the Western Conference, 11 points back of a playoff spot with just 32 games remaining. After Monday, the Sharks play Vancouver on Wednesday and finish out the homestand against Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Asked what his stance might be if the Sharks can't get closer to a playoff spot by the trade deadline, Thornton said, "Ask me then. We'll see. But like I said, I'm optimistic this team can turn it around. I want to stay positive in that aspect and really make a push here. That's all we can do."
So far this season, Thornton has 19 points in 50 games, averaging 14:52 seconds of ice time per game. This month, he has four points in nine games. Marleau, 40, has eight goals and 17 points in 46 games this year. Both players are once again slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.
Asked if he has thought about playing past this season, Marleau said, "I'm trying to take it pretty slow, but I still feel like I could play another year. We'll see how these next 32 games go."
Thornton said he hasn't thought about playing past this season yet, adding, "My body feels really, really good. I have no complaints there. My mind feels good. It's been a long year just with the ups and downs. But I feel really, really good."
Thornton and Marleau, icons in San Jose, own the top two spots on several Sharks all-time lists.
Marleau ranks first in games played (1,539), goals (516) and points (1,099), among several others, and Thornton is first in assists (797), points per game (0.96) and plus/minus (167), and is second in games played (1,084) and points (1,043).
"I'm a Shark, through and through," Thornton said when asked if he could ever see himself with another team. "I still have confidence in this group that we can make a little run.".
This season has certainly been an unfamiliar one for both Thornton and Marleau.
Thornton, in now his 22nd NHL season, has missed the postseason just three times, twice with the Boston Bruins in 2000 and 2001, and once with the Sharks in 2015. Marleau has missed the playoffs just twice in the past 21 seasons, both with the Sharks in 2003 and 2015. Together,m they have combined to play in 370 career playoff games.
