UFA forward Joe Thornton spotted in an NHL market; could a deal be in the works?
For ''Jumbo'' Joe Thornton, the last couple of seasons have been a fun change of pace, playing the 2020-21 season in Toronto and the 2021-22 season in Florida, but while playing in a new location has been fun for Jumbo, watching two more chances at a Stanley Cup slip away in the 1st and 2nd rounds in consecutive seasons has been, well, not so fun.
Thornton is running out of time and there were some reports throughout the summer that suggested that Joe could look to hang up his skates at some point in the not too distant future. At 43 years old, he's playing on borrowed time and it shows.
On Sunday, Thornton was spotted back in San Jose, where he spent 15 of his 25 NHL seasons. Could a deal be close? Well, according to Sharks correspondent Sheng Peng, Thornton "has no official role with the team".
A return to San Jose could be poetic for Joe. To be able to retire a Shark would be a big deal for the 1714-game NHL veteran - but it would also likely mean that his Cup dreams are over.
The other possibility here is that the Sharks could possible be attempting to recruit Thornton for an off-ice role with the team. It would make a world of sense for the all-time Sharks assists leader and 2nd all-time points leader. We'll continue to monitor the situation and provide an update on Thornton when one becomes available.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 11 | 150 ANSWERS UFA forward Joe Thornton spotted in an NHL market; could a deal be in the works? Will Thornton return to his former home? | ||
| Yes | 59 | 39.3 % |
| No | 91 | 60.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
