Sharks playing just fine without Thornton

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Joe Thornton flew to Nashville with his Sharks teammates Monday, but he’ll probably see more cowboy boots, live music and menus with hot chicken this week than game action.

Head coach Pete Deboer’s acknowledgement Sunday that Thornton is receiving antibiotic treatment through a PICC line suggests that he’s unlikely to play on the Sharks three-game road trip. That isn’t necessarily bad news.

Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators (7-1) will mark the 41st time in the last 43 regular season games that the Sharks (43-1) have laced up the skates without Thornton. They’re 22-15-4 in those games, reaching the second round of the playoffs last season, and they’ve added Erik Karlsson to the lineup. They’ve clearly forged an identity without their longtime leader. It’s unclear at this point how much better or worse Thornton’s presence would make the team.

On paper, the Sharks are undoubtedly among the top-eight teams in the NHL, regardless of how many games Thornton plays this winter. The Sharks biggestperceived flaw heading into training was the group’s center depth. No one knew what expect from Thornton, who’s 39 and coming off two major knee surgeries. So far, he’s missed six of eight games. General manager Doug Wilson also sent Chris Tierney to the Ottawa Senators in the Karlsson trade, forcing his team to open the season with rookies at third and fourth line center. Sharks center Joe Thornton skates on the ice before a face-off against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period of last Wednesday’s game at SAP Center in San Jose.