OPINION

By Craig Custance

updated 12:53 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2009

It didn't take long for San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson to disprove a theory on Patrick Marleau. Marleau is off to a fantastic start with 23 points in 20 games, including 11 goals. He's helped lift the Sharks to the highest point total in the league. He's doing it all after being stripped of his captaincy this summer, when the organization replaced him with Rob Blake.

So there's a correlation, right? The pressure of being the captain on a Stanley Cup contender is lifted and Marleau's offensive production blossoms.

That's been suggested, but the only problem is, that conclusion isn't exactly accurate.

"People forget, he had a great year last year," Wilson said. "What happened with (Marleau) that I thought was unfortunate was he injured his knee the last eight games of the year, had to play with a brace. It was almost an unwritten chapter. He had a heck of a year, last year."

Once assumptions are brushed aside, and a little research is done, Wilson is proven correct.

Sure, Marleau has 23 points in his first 20 games this season but last season he had 22 points in his first 20 games. And the Sharks got off to a record start.

He was doing it all as the captain of the Sharks, which eliminates any "pressure is gone" theory. Plus, there's this: The pressure isn't gone.

"We still have pressure, personally I put a lot of pressure on myself," Marleau said. "It doesn't make a difference. The coaching staff and organization still expects a lot out of me in the leadership role. It's not going to change whether I have a letter or not."

Instead, Wilson said, the story isn't Marleau's production this season. It's his reaction.

It wasn't an easy summer for Marleau, who had to deal with the indignity of losing the captaincy, along with being named in every Dany Heatley trade rumor, even though the Sharks never once asked him to waive his no-trade clause.

He could have sulked. He could have demanded his own trade. And really, it would have been understandable.

Instead, he was one of four Sharks who stayed in San Jose for the entire offseason and worked himself into the best shape of his life, at least according to one teammate.

Already a fitness guy, Marleau took it to another level.

"I've never seen anyone in better shape than Patty Marleau," said Devin Setoguchi, who worked out this summer with Marleau.

One month before training camp even started, the foursome was joined by 12 other veterans for early training, which signaled to Wilson that this group was serious about moving on from last spring's playoff collapse.

And Marleau has moved on. From another playoff disappointment, trade rumors and the captain controversy.

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The fact that he's off to a strong start, again, is even more impressive this season.

"I think all this stuff has made him stronger," said teammate Joe Pavelski. "He's dealt with it tremendously. He's back deciding games."

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