Jagr-style number retirement doable for Thornton
SAN JOSE >> If Joe Thornton wants to take part in practice or be on the ice for pregame warmups next season before he has his number retired by the San Jose Sharks, that would be just fine with coach David Quinn.
Jaromir Jagr had his No. 68 officially retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, as his banner was raised to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena, right next to the No. 66 formerly worn by Mario Lemieux.
But Jagr did more than just give a speech before fans and former Penguins teammates. The forward, who turned 52 last week, also skated briefly in a Penguins practice the day before and took part in the team's warmups just before the team's game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Would Quinn allow Thornton to do the same next season?
“Absolutely,” Quinn said earlier this week.
“Try and keep him off,” Sharks radio and television analyst Drew Remenda added.
As part of last Sunday's festivities, Penguins players all wore Jagr jerseys and wore Jagr-style mullet wigs to honor the Czechborn player, who played 11 seasons in Pittsburgh from 1990 to 2001 and won Stanley Cups with the organization in 1992 and 1993.
While a Penguin, Jagr had 1,079 points in 806 regular season games, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL'S leading scorer five times, and the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player once after the 1998-1999 season.
“The 11 years I was here was amazing,” Jagr said during his speech. “Probably the best years of my life. So thank you for that.”
Remarkably, Jagr still hasn't announced his retirement as a professional player, as he's played 15 games for the Kladno Knights, a team he owns in Czechia and wants to keep afloat. He has four assists.
Thornton, who announced his retirement on Oct. 30, will be the second player to have his number raised to the rafters by the franchise after Patrick Marleau had his ceremony on Feb. 25, 2023.
Details regarding when Thornton's ceremony will take place have not been released.
All-time in Sharks history, Thornton ranks first in assists (804), points per game (0.96), power-play points (402), and plusminus (+161). He is second alltime in points (1,055) and even strength points (645), third in games played (1,104), and fourth in goals (251).
Thornton, drafted No. 1 overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997, played in 1,714 games over an NHL career that lasted until the end of the 2021-2022 season.
In a Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy resume, Thornton is sixth alltime in games played, seventh in assists (1,109), and 13th in points (1,539). Thornton also played in 187 postseason games, 28th most in NHL history, and ranks 45th with 145 playoff points.
Thornton captured the Hart Trophy as MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as scoring leader in 200506 after he was traded early that season from Boston to San Jose.
Thornton was selected to six NHL All-star games between 2002 and 2009. He was named to the NHL'S First All-star Team in 2006, and the Second All-star Team in 2003, 2008, and 2016.
Sidney Crosby, who played with Thornton for Team Canada during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, said he loved the ceremony for Jagr.
“When you look at the history of hockey, he's somebody that you're always going to think about,” Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup winner himself, said. “The fact that he played here and had the impact that he did here, what he was able to accomplish over his career, it's incredible. And I think we all feel pretty fortunate to be part of this.”