Leaves Sharks for Leafs
End of an era after 15 seasons of excellence
When Logan Couture saw Joe Thornton’s ID pop up with a voice call instead of FaceTime, the Sharks’ captain knew something was up.
Couture’s suspicions were confirmed when Jumbo Joe told him Friday he’d signed a oneyear contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, thus severing a distinguished and historic 15year run in San Jose.
“He just wanted me to know before it hit,” Couture said. “Just a respectful, respectful person.”
Toronto isn’t making Thornton available until the weekend, and Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is withholding comment out of respect for the Leafs’ timeline.
“I’m still kind of numb,” said Couture, who returned from his native Canada to San Jose last month. “It hasn’t set in fully that he’s not going to be on the Sharks next season. But I’m happy for him. He gets to go closer to home, closer to his parents, and he has a chance. We have a very good team, and Toronto has a very good team.”
Thus ends a run in San Jose in which the only thing Thornton couldn’t accomplish was winning the Stanley Cup. One of the game’s premier passers and playmakers, Thornton scored 251 goals and 1,055 points in 1,104 regularseason games with the Sharks after having played his first sevenplus seasons with Boston.
“Nothing will change how any of us will view Jumbo: amazing player, amazing person, one of the best if not the best leaders I’ve ever been around, and one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” Couture said. “He’s a firstballot Hall of Famer. It is a sad day for us selfishly in San Jose that we won’t play with him next year and he won’t be around the building.”
Thornton currently is play Thornton
ing in Europe for HC Davos of the Swiss National League, a deal that will allow him to depart from his offseason home to join Toronto when and if the NHL starts the 202021 season in January.
“I’ve been watching this, all the buzz, the questions about what’s going to happen to me,” Thornton told TagesAnzeiger, a Swiss Germanlanguage newspaper. “The desire to continue playing is there. I will be able to prepare myself well for it here in Switzerland.”
Acquired from Boston in exchange for Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau on Nov. 30, 2005, Thornton went on to win the Art Ross Trophy with 125 points that season on the strength of a leaguehigh 96 assists, and received the Hart Trophy as MVP that same season.
Thornton was the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NHL draft, and has 1,509 points ( 420 goals, 1,089 assists) in 1,636 games with the Sharks and Bruins. In addition, Thornton has 133 points ( 31 goals, 102 assists) in 179 postseason games.
“Jumbo deserves to make this decision,” Couture said. “And every single player in our organization and, I think, every member of our organization will tell you that he’s given so much to the San Jose Sharks that he deserves the opportunity to make a decision for his own, and we’re going to respect him.”
Thornton is the NHL active leader in assists and points. He’s seventh alltime in assists, ninth in games played and 14th in points.
“It’s tough to put into words,” Couture said of having spent his 11year career playing with Thornton. “I grew up watching Jumbo and Patty ( Marleau). I idolized Jumbo for sure. I played Junior B as a 15yearold in St. Thomas ( Ontario), Jumbo’s hometown. His brother, John, is my agent. It’s emotional for sure.
“Playing with him is something I’ll cherish the rest of my life.”