As he prepares to attend a training camp with a new NHL club for the first time since 1997, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Patrick Marleau took a moment to thank the city and team that made him a big-league star.

The veteran winger took out a full-page ad in the San Jose Mercury News on Sunday to thank the San Jose Sharks faithful and various members of the organization.

Marleau skated for a total of 1,493 games in a Sharks uniform – the 20th-most games played in NHL history – amassing 508 goals and 1,082 total points.

“San Jose will always be my home; where my children will grow up,” Marleau wrote in the ad. “And the Sharks will always hold a special place in my heart.

“Without every single one of you, I would not have had the career I have had so far, and I know that. You all have my deepest respect and admiration.”