During the 2019 Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition Friday, Matthews
pulled off his Maple Leafs sweater to reveal a No. 12 Marleau jersey
underneath. The San Jose crowd erupted.
Marleau spent 19 seasons with the Sharks and was their captain from 2003-09. He signed with the Maple Leafs before the 2017-18 season.
Now Matthews has an idea of what he wants to do with the jersey.
"I got the Sharks guys to sign it. I think we're going to auction it off for the Leaf Foundation and try to raise some money," Matthews said.
Matthews said that the idea to honor Marleau, who he and Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner have become very tight with in Toronto, in the building where he spent nearly two decades came to him the night before the competition.
But he still didn't expect such a reaction from what were mostly Sharks fans in the crowd.
"I was expecting some sort of reception (when I revealed it) but nothing like that," Matthews said. "It really struck me inside. I got so nervous for the accuracy shooting that I butchered the whole thing. I think that's a testament to Patty and how much he meant to these people and these fans."
NHL.com columnist Mike Zeisberger contributed to this report.
