The roars were boisterous and the memories were savored as Patrick Marleau made his return to San Jose Monday night as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marleau, who signed a three-year deal with the Leafs over the summer, said recently he wasn’t sure how he’d react to the reception at SAP Center and the video tribute detailing the best moments of his 20 years in teal. After plenty of cheers during warmups, the Sharks paid tribute to their long-time captain before puck dropped in the first period.

The return of the fan favorite even brought out some beloved Sharks alums.

Marleau played 1,493 games for the franchise after being selected second overall in the 1997 NHL Draft. Over that span he scored 508 goals and recorded 1,082 points in San Jose. He’s currently the franchise’s leader in goals, points, power play goals, shorthanded goals, games played, among other categories.

“It was pretty unbelievable to have that type of ovation,” Marleau said to Sportsnet after the first period. “All the signs out there, all the fans, pretty humbling, to say the least.”

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.