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Joe Thornton

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Joe Thornton
Thornton with the San Jose Sharks in April 2016
Born (1979-07-02) July 2, 1979 (age 45)
St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 219 lb (99 kg; 15 st 9 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
HC Davos
San Jose Sharks
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers
National team  Canada
NHL draft 1st overall, 1997
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1997–2022

Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the Bruins in the 1997 NHL entry draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, three as its captain. During the 2005–06 season, he was traded to the Sharks. Splitting the campaign between the two teams, he received the Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's leading point-scorer and most valuable player, respectively, becoming the only player in NHL history to win either award in a season played for multiple teams.[1] Thornton went on to play another 14 seasons with the Sharks, including four seasons as team captain and a run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals. Thornton was the last active NHL player and the last big 4 North American sports player to have played in the 1990s.[2]

Thornton's on-ice vision, strength on the puck, deft passing ability and power forward style of play led to him becoming one of the league's premier centres and playmakers.[3] He is widely regarded as one of the best passers of all time, and he is one of only 14 players with 1,000 NHL assists.[4] His nickname "Jumbo Joe" is a nod to his large stature and to Jumbo the elephant, who died in St. Thomas, Ontario, where Thornton was raised.[5][6]

Playing career

Amateur career

Thornton grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of St. Thomas, Ontario, for the St. Thomas Travellers. He played "AA" hockey for the Travelers minors and in peewee won an Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship in 1992–93.[7][8] His Bantam year was the first for the newly created "AAA" Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs organization, and Thornton joined the "AAA" Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario for the 1993–94 season. The creation of this organization led to the St. Thomas Minor Hockey Association to compete at the "A" level. During his bantam year, he appeared in six games for the Junior B St. Thomas Stars of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), scoring eight points in six games as a 14-year-old. The following season, Thornton joined the Stars full-time and reeled off 104 points over 50 games as a 15-year-old,[9] and was subsequently drafted second overall in the 1995 OHL draft to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds behind Daniel Tkaczuk, who was selected by the Barrie Colts.

Beginning in 1995–96, Thornton began a two-year career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Greyhounds. He posted a 76-point season in his first year, earning both OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours.[10] The following season, Thornton improved to 41 goals and 122 points, second overall in League scoring behind Marc Savard of the Oshawa Generals, and was named to the OHL second All-Star team.[10]

Boston Bruins (1997–2005)

After his second OHL season, Thornton was selected first overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft by the Boston Bruins. Thornton suffered a fractured arm in the Bruins' pre-season but made their roster for the 1997–98 campaign. He scored his first career NHL goal on December 3, 1997, in a 3–0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.[11] Bruins head coach Pat Burns was measured in his deployment of Thornton, using him almost exclusively on the fourth line and making him a regular healthy scratch. Averaging eight minutes and five seconds of ice time per game over the course of the season,[12] he registered three goals and seven points in 55 games as a rookie. In the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs, Thornton went scoreless in six games.

In 1998–99, Thornton saw significantly more ice time, averaging 15 minutes and 20 seconds per game,[13] and improved to 41 points in 81 games, as well as a 9-point effort in 11 playoff games.

Thornton continued to build into a key player in the Bruins' line-up, increasing his points total in each of the following two campaigns. Prior to the 2002–03 season, he was named team captain, succeeding Jason Allison, who was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2001; the captaincy position was vacant for a full season after Allison's departure. In his first season as team captain, Thornton recorded 68 points over 66 games. The following year, he notched his first career 100-point season with 36 goals, a career-high, and 65 assists. He ranked third in NHL point-scoring, behind Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche and Markus Näslund from the Vancouver Canucks.

Thornton's production declined to 73 points in 77 games in the 2003–04 campaign. He suffered a fractured right cheekbone in a fight with New York Rangers centre Eric Lindros during a game on January 19, 2004. The two power forwards fought after Lindros cross-checked Thornton in the head. The injury required surgery,[14] keeping him out of the line-up for three games.[10] The 2003–04 campaign also saw a drop in Thornton's goal-scoring production that has never since rebounded; his last 30-goal season came during the 2002–03 season.

During the 2004–05 NHL lock-out, Thornton went abroad to play for HC Davos of the Swiss National League A (NLA). He played on a line with fellow NHL players Rick Nash and Niklas Hagman, helping HC Davos to win the League championship and the Spengler Cup. Nash and Thornton have subsequently kept in contact with HC Davos and their longtime coach Arno del Curto; Thornton returned to train with the club for up to a month each summer.[15][16][needs update]

Ahead of the NHL resumption in 2005–06, Thornton became a restricted free agent in summer 2005. Negotiations on a new contract were strained: Thornton was reportedly unhappy with the direction of the Bruins franchise, and upset with criticism of his play in the Bruins' early playoff exit in 2004.[17] Boston's front office was apparently unhappy with Thornton's leadership style and for not raising his level of play during the playoffs. Nevertheless, Thornton re-signed with Boston on August 11, 2005, to a three-year, $20 million contract.[3]

Thornton began the 2005–06 season strongly (33 points in 24 games), making him the team's leading scorer by a substantial margin, but the Bruins were struggling in the standings.

San Jose Sharks (2005–2020)

On November 30, 2005, Thornton was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forwards Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and defenceman Brad Stuart.[3] Mike O'Connell, the Bruins general manager who traded Thornton, stated in June 2011 that he "would still make the trade", and that it was "satisfying" that Boston had won a Stanley Cup before Thornton's new team had.[18] Despite O'Connell's stance, the trade is widely considered to be a lopsided deal in favor of the Sharks. Upon arriving in San Jose, Thornton improved the Sharks' fortunes and found instant chemistry with winger Jonathan Cheechoo. During the absence of usual alternate captain Alyn McCauley from the San Jose line-up, Thornton donned the "A" for the first time as a Shark in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes on March 30, 2006,[19] and wore the "A" whenever McCauley was out of the line-up for the remainder of the season. Tallying 92 points in 58 games with the Sharks after the trade, Thornton finished the season with 29 goals, a league-leading 96 assists and 125 points total to earn the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer. He became the first player to win the award while splitting the season between two teams. Due to Thornton's success, Cheechoo also enjoyed a career-season, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer with 56 goals. However, in the 2006 playoffs, Thornton was once again criticized for his play, as his production decreased to two goals and seven assists for nine points in 11 games as the Sharks were ousted in the second round by the eighth seeded Edmonton Oilers. In the off-season, Thornton was honoured for his regular season play and was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league' regular season MVP to go with his Art Ross Trophy.[1] He is the only player in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy while playing for two different teams in the same season.[20]

Thornton with the Sharks in October 2006

Thornton began the 2006–07 season being awarded a permanent alternate captaincy, but struggled in the first half of the season while suffering from a toe injury that did not heal until January 2007.[21] After recovering, Thornton enjoyed a productive second half, battling Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby for a second-consecutive scoring title late in the year, eventually finishing six points behind Crosby with 114. With a league-leading 92 assists, Thornton became only the third player in NHL history to record back-to-back 90-assist seasons, joining Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.[22]

Thornton began the 2007 playoffs by recording six assists in the Sharks' first-round series against the Nashville Predators. Advancing to the second round against the Detroit Red Wings, he recorded a goal and three assists in the first three games of the series. However, Thornton was effectively neutralized by Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidström,[23] for the remainder of the series as the Sharks were eliminated in six games.

In the off-season, Thornton signed a three-year contract extension worth US$21.6 million.[24] In the 2007–08 season, Thornton finished with 96 points (29 goals and 67 assists) all 82 games to finish fifth in NHL scoring.

In 2008–09, Thornton was named captain of the Western Conference for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal.[25] He completed the season with 86 points to help the Sharks win the Presidents' Trophy as the regular season champions. In the subsequent playoffs, he recorded a goal and four assists in six games as the Sharks were upset in the first round by the eighth seeded Anaheim Ducks.[26]

Thornton (centre background) with Kent Huskins (left background) and Scott Nichol (foreground), in February 2010.

In September 2009, before the start of the 2009–10 season, the Sharks acquired Dany Heatley in a three-player trade that sent Thornton's struggling former linemate Jonathan Cheechoo, left-winger Milan Michálek and a second-round draft pick to the Ottawa Senators. Thornton, Heatley, and Patrick Marleau were joined on the Sharks' top line and enjoyed immediate offensive success together. The trio helped the Sharks to one of their best-ever regular seasons in franchise history. Although the line's production slowed down in the second half of the season, all three Sharks players finished in the League's top 15 in point-scoring. Thornton's 89 points ranked eighth, while Marleau and Heatley finished 14th and 15th in League scoring with 83 and 82 points, respectively. The Sharks entered the 2010 playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference for the second-consecutive year and the Presidents' Trophy runner-up behind the Washington Capitals. After advancing past the eighth seeded Colorado Avalanche and fifth seeded Detroit Red Wings in the first two rounds, the Sharks were eliminated by the second seeded and eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Finals in a four game sweep. Thornton finished the playoffs with a career-high 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in all 15 games.

After the elimination, team management vacated all the Sharks' captaincy positions, including Thornton's role as one of the alternate captains. Prior to the 2010–11 season, he was chosen to replace the retiring Rob Blake as the eighth captain in team history on October 7, 2010. Nine days later, he signed a three-year, US$21 million contract extension with the Sharks. Near the start of the 2010–11 season, Thornton scored the fourth hat-trick of his NHL career against Martin Brodeur in a 5–2 win over the New Jersey Devils. On November 6, 2010, Thornton was suspended two games for a controversial hit to the head against St. Louis Blues forward David Perron.[27] Perron missed the remaining 72 games of the 2010–11 season due to post-concussion syndrome. He returned after missing 97 games over 13 months (394 days) on December 3, 2011. Later in the campaign, Thornton eclipsed Marleau as the Sharks' all-time leader in assists. Thornton scored his 1,000th career point with a goal in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes on April 8, 2011.[28] In the first round of the 2011 playoffs, Thornton scored the series-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 against the seventh seeded Los Angeles Kings to advance the Sharks to the second round where they would meet the third seeded Detroit Red Wings for the second consecutive season and defeat them in seven to clinch a second consecutive appearance in the Western Conference Finals where the Sharks would fall to the Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in five games.[29]

Thornton with the Sharks in December 2011

On January 24, 2014, Thornton signed a three-year contract extension with the Sharks through to the 2016–17 season.[30]

At the end of the 2013–14 season, Thornton ranked 46th on the all-time points leaders (1,194) and 24th on the all-time assist leaders (852) for the NHL. He also became the San Jose Sharks' all-time leader in assists with 567.[31] Thornton finished the 2013–14 season with 11 goals and 65 assists as the Sharks amassed 111 points, just six short of their franchise's all-time-high mark, and were among the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. Facing their in-state rival Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 playoffs, the Sharks won the first three games in the series. However, the eventual Stanley Cup champion Kings won the next four games and became just the fourth team in NHL history to win a playoff series in seven games after initially trailing three games to none. Thornton finished the playoffs with just two goals and an assist for three points in all seven games.

On August 20, 2014, Sharks head coach Todd McLellan announced that Thornton had been stripped of his captaincy and that the Sharks would start the 2014–15 season without a captain.[32] Joe Pavelski was eventually named Sharks' captain at the start of the 2015–16 season.

On January 26, 2015, Thornton recorded his 1,300th career point during a game against the Colorado Avalanche with his assist on a Joe Pavelski goal, Thornton's second assist of the game.[33] Thornton is the 33rd player in NHL history to reach 1,300 points.[33] Thornton recorded 16 goals and 49 assists during the 2014–15 season as the Sharks failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Thornton finished the 2015–16 season with 19 goals and 63 assists for 82 points in 78 contests as the Sharks returned to the playoffs after a one-year slump. In the 2016 playoffs, the Sharks beat the Los Angeles Kings in the first round in five games, avenging a previous loss to them two years earlier. In the second round, they defeated the Nashville Predators in seven games and advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2011, where the Sharks defeated the St. Louis Blues in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history. This was also Thornton's first time playing in the Finals in his career. However, the Sharks lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the Finals. Thornton finished fifth in playoff points with 21 and second in playoff assists with 18.[34] At the end of the season, Thornton was named a Second-Team All-Star for the 2015–16 season.

Thornton during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2016

On March 6, 2017, in a game against the Winnipeg Jets, Thornton recorded his 1,000th NHL assist on a Joe Pavelski goal, becoming the 13th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.[35]

On July 1, 2017, Thornton signed a one-year contract to return to the Sharks for the 2017–18 season.[36] In January 2018, Thornton injured his ACL and MCL and missed the remainder of the season recovering from surgery.[37][38]

On July 2, 2018, his 39th birthday, Thornton signed a one-year contract to return to the Sharks for the 2018–19 season.[39] On November 13, he scored his 400th career goal against the Nashville Predators to go along with 1,500 games played and 1,000 assists. As of 2018, this feat has only been achieved by six other players in NHL history.[40] On February 11, 2019, in a 7–2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Thornton passed Gordie Howe for ninth place on the NHL all-time assists list.[41] Thornton and the Sharks reached the Western Conference Finals, though they were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in six games. Thornton put up four goals and six assists for 10 points in all 19 games during the playoffs.

Thornton signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension on September 6, 2019, to remain with the Sharks.[42] He recorded his 1,500th career point on February 4, 2020, in a 3–1 win over the Calgary Flames.[43] Thornton expressed dissatisfaction with not being traded to a playoff contending team after the February 24 trade deadline to give him the opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup, as had happened with longtime teammate Patrick Marleau.[44] The Sharks posted a disappointing record this season and did not make the playoffs for the first time since 2015 even with the playoff format being expanded and the regular season ending three weeks early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America.[45]

Toronto Maple Leafs (2020–2021)

With the 2020–21 season delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Thornton returned to HC Davos of the National League on October 15, 2020, for a third stint. Having held Swiss citizenship since 2019, he did not count against the import limit.[46][47]

On October 16, 2020, Thornton signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.[48] On December 14, 2020, Thornton left Davos to return to Toronto for the start of training camp.[49] On January 16, 2021, Thornton scored his first goal as a Maple Leaf. On January 22, 2021, Thornton suffered a fractured rib after getting hit by Edmonton Oilers forward Josh Archibald. Thornton returned to the lineup on February 27, recording 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 44 games.[50] Thornton scored one goal in the Maple Leafs' seven-game series loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2021 playoffs.

Florida Panthers and retirement (2021–2022)

On August 13, 2021, Thornton returned for his 24th NHL season, signing a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Florida Panthers.[51] Thornton played 34 games and scored a career-low 10-points as the Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy as the regular season champions.

After going unsigned for the entirety of the 2022–23 season and start of the 2023–24 season, Thornton officially announced his retirement on October 28, 2023.[52] At the time of his retirement, Thornton was 12th in league history in total points scored, seventh in assists, and sixth in games played.[53]

On January 17, 2024, the Sharks announced their plans to retire Thornton's no. 19 jersey during the 2024–25 season.[54] Thornton’s Jersey was retired on November 23.

International play


Thornton (second from right) celebrates a goal during the 2010 Winter Olympics as his San Jose teammates Patrick Marleau (#11) and Dany Heatley (#15) join in, as well as Drew Doughty (#8)
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Team
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2005 Austria
Canada Cup / World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2004 Toronto
Gold medal – first place 2016 Toronto
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Switzerland

Thornton was named to Canada's national under-20 team for the 1997 World Junior Championships in Switzerland. At 17 years old, he recorded four points in seven games, helping Canada to a gold medal. Two years later, he made his debut with the Canadian men's team at the 2001 World Championships in Germany. Thornton collected a goal and an assist over six games, as Canada was eliminated in the quarter-finals by the United States.

Thornton's next international appearance occurred at the 2004 World Cup. Established by then as a premier player in the NHL, Thornton tied for third in tournament scoring with six points (a goal and five assists) over six games. He notched two assists in the championship game against Finland, helping Canada to a 3–2 win. At the 2005 IIHF World Championship in Austria, Thornton led all scorers with 16 points (six goals and ten assists) in nine games and was named tournament MVP.[55] Canada advanced to the gold medal game, where they were shut-out 3–0 by goaltender Tomáš Vokoun of the Czech Republic.

Thornton made his first appearance in the 2006 Winter Olympics. He recorded three points as Canada was shut out in three of six games, losing to Russia in the quarterfinals. Four years later, he was again chosen to Canada's Olympic team for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Thornton was joined by his Sharks linemates Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau, as well as Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle, on the squad.[56] The offensive trio of Sharks played on the same line in the Olympics, as well. Thornton registered a goal and an assist over seven games, helping Canada to a gold medal finish.

Thornton was later invited to the Canada's hockey camp for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but did not attend due to his son being hospitalized with an illness.[57] He was named to the Canadian roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey held in Toronto.

Thornton was named Team Canada's co-general manager for the 2023 Spengler Cup.[58]

Personal life

Thornton is married to Tabea Pfendsack, whom he met while playing in Switzerland during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.[59] The couple has a daughter[60] and a son.[61] Born in St. Thomas, Ontario, Thornton became a naturalized American citizen in July 2009 at a ceremony in Campbell, California, a suburb of San Jose;[60] he later also received a Swiss passport.[47] Joe and former Sharks teammate Scott Thornton are first cousins.[62][63]

The Tragically Hip lead vocalist Gord Downie's song "You Me and the B's" (from his 2017 solo album Introduce Yerself) includes a lament about Thornton's poorly-received trade from the Bruins to the Sharks in 2005.[64]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1993–94 St. Thomas Stars WOHL 6 2 6 8 2 — — — — —
1993–94 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs OMHA 67 83 85 168 45 — — — — —
1994–95 St. Thomas Stars WOHL 50 40 64 104 53 — — — — —
1995–96 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 66 30 46 76 53 4 1 1 2 11
1996–97 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 59 41 81 122 123 11 11 8 19 24
1997–98 Boston Bruins NHL 55 3 4 7 19 6 0 0 0 9
1998–99 Boston Bruins NHL 81 16 25 41 69 11 3 6 9 4
1999–00 Boston Bruins NHL 81 23 37 60 82 — — — — —
2000–01 Boston Bruins NHL 72 37 34 71 107 — — — — —
2001–02 Boston Bruins NHL 66 22 46 68 127 6 2 4 6 10
2002–03 Boston Bruins NHL 77 36 65 101 109 5 1 2 3 4
2003–04 Boston Bruins NHL 77 23 50 73 98 7 0 0 0 14
2004–05 HC Davos NLA 40 10 44 54 80 14 4 20 24 29
2005–06 Boston Bruins NHL 23 9 24 33 6 — — — — —
2005–06 San Jose Sharks NHL 58 20 72 92 55 11 2 7 9 12
2006–07 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 22 92 114 44 11 1 10 11 10
2007–08 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 29 67 96 59 13 2 8 10 2
2008–09 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 25 61 86 56 6 1 4 5 5
2009–10 San Jose Sharks NHL 79 20 69 89 54 15 3 9 12 18
2010–11 San Jose Sharks NHL 80 21 49 70 47 18 3 14 17 16
2011–12 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 18 59 77 31 5 2 3 5 2
2012–13 HC Davos NLA 33 12 24 36 43 — — — — —
2012–13 San Jose Sharks NHL 48 7 33 40 26 11 2 8 10 2
2013–14 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 11 65 76 32 7 2 1 3 8
2014–15 San Jose Sharks NHL 78 16 49 65 30 — — — — —
2015–16 San Jose Sharks NHL 82 19 63 82 54 24 3 18 21 10
2016–17 San Jose Sharks NHL 79 7 43 50 51 4 0 2 2 0
2017–18 San Jose Sharks NHL 47 13 23 36 38 — — — — —
2018–19 San Jose Sharks NHL 73 16 35 51 20 19 4 6 10 6
2019–20 San Jose Sharks NHL 70 7 24 31 34 — — — — —
2020–21 HC Davos NL 12 5 6 11 4 — — — — —
2020–21 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 44 5 15 20 14 7 1 0 1 2
2021–22 Florida Panthers NHL 34 5 5 10 10 1 0 0 0 0
NL totals 85 27 74 101 127 14 4 20 24 29
NHL totals 1,714 430 1,109 1,539 1,272 187 32 102 134 134

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1997 Canada WJC 7 2 2 4 0
2001 Canada WC 6 1 1 2 6
2004 Canada WCH 6 1 5 6 0
2005 Canada WC 9 6 10 16 4
2006 Canada OLY 6 1 2 3 0
2010 Canada OLY 7 1 1 2 0
2016 Canada WCH 6 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 7 2 2 4 0
Senior totals 40 11 20 31 12

Awards

Thornton at the 2006 NHL Awards ceremony
Major junior
NHL
SUI
International

Records

  • Only player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy while switching teams in his winning campaign – 2005–06.
  • Highest point total recorded by a player while playing with two different teams in one season – 125 (2005–06)
  • Most games played by the first overall selection in the NHL Entry draft, currently 1714.
  • San Jose Sharks' all-time leader in assists – 745
  • San Jose Sharks' all-time leader in +/- with +172
  • San Jose Sharks' all-time leader in points per game with 1.01

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McKeon, Ross (June 23, 2006). "NHL Awards / 'Humbled' Thornton named MVP". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  2. ^ DeMartino, Joe (May 26, 2021). "Adam Vinatieri was one of the last players standing from the '90s". ESPN. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Thornton traded to Sharks for three players". ESPN. November 30, 2005. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  4. ^ "NHL & WHA Career Leaders and Records for Assists". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  5. ^ Brennan, Pat (September 8, 2010). "Jumbo the elephant leaves a big legend in southern Ontario". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 29, 2018. Joe Thornton, an NHL star with the San Jose Sharks, is known as Jumboin part because he hails from St. Thomas.
  6. ^ Rea, Kyle (July 10, 2010). "St. Thomas honours its hockey hero with banner". St. Thomas Journal. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2018. The nickname is a homage to Jumbo, the famous elephant killed in St. Thomas 125 years ago.
  7. ^ nurun.com. "St. Thomas honours its hockey hero with banner". St. Thomas Times-Journal. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  8. ^ "OMHA Champions". omha.net. Ontario Minor Hockey Association.
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  11. ^ "NHL Last Night; Hasek Blanks Anaheim". The New York Times. December 5, 1997. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
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  13. ^ "1998–1999 – Regular Season – Boston Bruins – Skater – Time on Ice – Time on Ice Per Game". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  14. ^ "Thornton to have surgery". Boston Globe. January 22, 2004. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  15. ^ "Joe Thornton". Hockeydraft.ca. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  16. ^ Szemberg, Szymon (April 15, 2009). "The best coach in Europe, The Harry Potter look-alike is no wizard; simply a coaching genius". IIHF.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  17. ^ Burnside, Scott (July 12, 2005). "ESPN What will the new NHL look like? – NHL". ESPN. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
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  19. ^ Pollak, David (January 28, 2023) [January 28, 2023]. "San Jose Sharks' playoff hopes take another hit in 3-0 loss to Phoenix Coyotes". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
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  21. ^ "Joe Thornton – Mahalo". Mahalo.com. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
  22. ^ "The NHL Arena > Joe Thornton No. 19". TheNHLarena.com. July 15, 2007. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  23. ^ "NHL – 2007 Playoffs San Jose Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
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  25. ^ "Kovalev, Thornton named All-Star team captains". TSN. January 22, 2009. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  26. ^ "Ducks complete upset of top-seeded Sharks". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009.
  27. ^ LeBrun, Pierre (November 6, 2010). "Joe Thornton suspension upheld". ESPN. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  28. ^ Brown, Jerry (April 9, 2011). "Joe Thornton scores 1,000th NHL point". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  29. ^ "Canucks reach Stanley Cup finals after last-minute tie, bizarre 2OT winner". ESPN. ESPN. Associated Press. May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  30. ^ "Thornton & Marleau Agree to Three-Year Extensions". San Jose Sharks. January 24, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  31. ^ "Joe Thornton Stats". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  32. ^ Pollak, David (August 20, 2014). "Sharks take away Thornton's captaincy; Raffi Torres out indefinitely". The Mercury News. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  33. ^ a b Gilmore, Eric (January 27, 2016). "Thornton gets 1,300th point, Sharks top Avalanche". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  34. ^ "Joe Thornton." NHL.com. National Hockey League, n.d. Web. June 26, 2016.
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  36. ^ "Sharks Re-Sign Forward Joe Thornton to a One-Year Contract". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  37. ^ "Thornton could be back this season for Sharks: report". National Hockey League. February 22, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  38. ^ "Sharks' Joe Thornton out multiple weeks after damaging MCL". Sportsnet. January 24, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  39. ^ "Thornton signs one-year contract with Sharks". National Hockey League. July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  40. ^ "Sharks' Joe Thornton: Wins game with 400th goal". National Hockey League. November 13, 2018.
  41. ^ "Sharks light up DiPietro in NHL debut, trounce Canucks". TSN. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  42. ^ "Sharks Agree To Terms With Center Joe Thornton". National Hockey League. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  43. ^ "Thornton scores 1,500th point in Sharks win against Flames". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  44. ^ "Sharks' Joe Thornton disappointed at not being traded at deadline". Sportsnet. February 25, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  45. ^ NHL Public Relations (March 12, 2020). "National Hockey League Pauses 2019-20 Season". media.nhl.com. Media NHL. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  46. ^ "Die Legende ist zurück". hcd.ch. October 15, 2020.
  47. ^ a b Berger, Nicola (October 15, 2020). "Die Ikone Joe Thornton kehrt nach Davos zurück - der NHL-Star kommt nicht los vom Eishockey und dem HCD". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020. ...und erstmals mit Schweizer Pass. [...and for the first time with a Swiss passport.]
  48. ^ "Maple Leafs Sign Joe Thornton". National Hockey League. October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  49. ^ "Joe Thornton has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs". swisshockeynews.ch. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  50. ^ "Joe Thornton Stats and News".
  51. ^ "Thornton signs one-year contract with Panthers, will play 24th NHL season". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  52. ^ "Bruins and Sharks legend Thornton announces retirement from NHL". TSN. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  53. ^ "Long-time San Jose Shark Joe Thornton officially retires". Sportsnet. October 28, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  54. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (January 17, 2024). "Thornton to have No. 19 retired by Sharks next season". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  55. ^ "Team Canada Captures Silver Medal at Men's World Championship". hockeycanada.ca. May 15, 2005. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  56. ^ Burnside, Scott; LeBrun, Pierre (December 30, 2009). "Breaking down 2010 Canadian team". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  57. ^ Pashelka, Curtis (August 26, 2013). "San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton cancels trip to Canadian Olympic camp". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  58. ^ "Management group unveiled for 2023 Spengler Cup".
  59. ^ Pollak, David (December 12, 2008). "Bachelor days ending for Thornton, and the latest update on Shark injuries". Working The Corners.
  60. ^ a b Emmons, Mark (August 29, 2010). "Sharks' Joe Thornton looking to stay in San Jose". The Mercury News. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  61. ^ "Thornton rehabs knee injury with help of 4-year-old son". National Hockey League. March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  62. ^ Pyette, Ryan (December 10, 2005). "Sharks' Scott Thornton has cousin Joe along for the ride". canoe.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  63. ^ Gackle, Paul (November 18, 2017). "Three things to know: Bruins goalie denies charges of wrongdoing in last game vs. Sharks". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  64. ^ Schlanger, Talia (October 26, 2017). "Gord Downie's Final Album Is A Gift". NPR. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
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