Game Preview/Lines #30: Boughner Says Marleau “In Control” of Staying or Going

San Jose Sharks (11-14-4)

Projected lines for the #SJSharks, Balcers is back!

Jones in net. pic.twitter.com/IisGQVYTfW

— Locked on Shirtless Couture (@LockedOnSharks) March 22, 2021

Los Angeles Kings (13-11-6)

Martin Jones will be in net for the Sharks tonight, coach Bob Boughner said. It’ll be Jonathan Quick for the Kings as they play the second night of a back-to-back.

— Dan Greenspan (@DanGreenspan) March 22, 2021

These were LA’s lines last night in their 3-1 victory over Vegas:

Here's what I'm expecting for @LAKings Lineup –

Iafallo – Kopitar – Brown
Grundstrom – Anderson-Dolan – Moore
Athanasiou – Kempe – Carter
Wagner – Lizotte – Vilardi

Anderson – Doughty
MacDermid – Roy
Maatta – Walker

Petersen
Quick

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 21, 2021

Where to Watch

Puck drop is 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it on NBC Sports Bay Area, Fox Sports West, or NHL.tv.

Morning Skate

Patrick Marleau opened the door out of San Jose on Friday.

Marleau, of course, is working on two important records right now, the All-Time Games Played and Most Consecutive Games Played marks

When San Jose Hockey Now asked Marleau which record held more personal significance to him, he replied, “Winning a Stanley Cup, obviously, is the biggest goal.”

Game Preview/Lines #28: Sit or Trade Marleau?

That’s not likely to happen with the San Jose Sharks this year. They’re 11 points out of the final West playoff berth right now.

So would Marleau welcome a trade to a Cup contender?

Marleau told The Athletic on Sunday: “I wouldn’t actively maybe look for it, but if it does happen or it does come, or a team wants me, that’s something you have to seriously consider.”

If Marleau is traded by the Apr. 12 Trade Deadline, that means he’ll be breaking Gordie Howe’s All-Time Games Played record in another uniform. Currently, Marleau is scheduled to break the record on Apr. 19 in Las Vegas.

“We got to support him, and hopefully, get to that spot where we see him break the record as a Shark. But moving forward, other than that, that’s really out of our hands,” San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner acknowledged. “I think that business is business and I think that Patty Marleau is going to be able to be the one in control. If he wants to stay, I’m sure he stays. And if he wants to have a chance to go somewhere else, I’m sure that opportunity will be afforded to him.”

Brent Burns added: “It’s an incredible thing that is coming. You hope it happens [as a Shark]. But you can’t control it.”