Is Joe Thornton the greatest Shark of all time?
Perhaps. I would say so, but there are some people out there who can put together a solid case for Parick Marleau.
Joe Thornton hasn't played hockey in over a year now. He wasn't signed to an NHL team last season after spending the 2021-2022 season with the Florida Panthers. He is yet to announce his retirement from the game of hockey which leads us to the question, "When can we look back on the great career of Jumbo Joe?"
How about, now?
Joe Thornton was drafted by the Boston Bruins as the 1st overall selection in the 1997 NHL entry draft. In his rookie season, he posted seven whole points. Not bad for a rookie.
Just kidding. Really bad.
Luckily, Thornton's following seasons would continuously get better and better. He would eventually rock the captain's 'C' for the iconic Original Six franchise. It wasn't until the 2005-2006 season that things would rapidly change for Joe. He was traded to the San Jose Sharks and finished the season winning league MVP and the Ted Lindsay award for leading the NHL in points.
How often does the league MVP get traded mid-season? Yep, That's what I thought.
Jumbo Joe followed that season up with an enormous 92 assist and 114 point season in his first full season with San Jose where his game rounded perfectly alongside Patrick Marleau's. The two would mold a perfect dynamic duo over the next decade, including leading the Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.
Joe Thornton would eventually captain his second NHL team where he wore the C for the Sharks for several seasons before eventually downgrading to an assistant captain once Joe Pavelski arrived.
Thornton posted 1,714 games (2nd most in history), 430 goals, 1109 assists, and an enormous 1,539 NHL points.
He sits 12th all-time in points and is considered the greatest playmaker of his generation. He is part of the triple-gold club, winning gold at the World Junior Championships (1997), World Cup of Hockey (2004, 2016), and even Olympic gold (2010).
The only trophy the great Jumbo Joe lacks? The biggest of them all. Lord Stanley's Cup.
Even still, There's no denying Joe Thornton is one of the all-time greats. However, the lack of a Stanley Cup ring is the one piece he's missing from having the absolute perfect hockey career.
4.75/5 stars
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