Joe Thornton has been a member of the San Jose Sharks for 15 years and while he reportedly plans to return to the NHL next season, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’ll be back in San Jose.
Thornton is an unrestricted free agent and according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, there is real interest in Thornton from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thornton reportedly also didn’t deny having interest in the Maple Leafs when asked by a reporter in Switzerland, according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
It’s no secret that Thornton wants to win a Stanley Cup and he knows he won’t have many more opportunities to try to do so. Thornton was seemingly disappointed when he wasn’t moved at the trade deadline this past season to chase a Cup, so it points to the fact that he could prioritize winning over staying with the Sharks.
Even if the Sharks did bounce back to an extent next season, the fact is, they won’t be a contender. If Thornton is set on being with a team who can make a Cup run, the chances of him returning to the Sharks don't seem to be overly high. All this said, Thornton reportedly told news outlet Tages-Anzeiger that the door is still open for a return to San Jose.
While Thornton isn’t the player he was a few years ago, he’s still an effective member of the lineup and could still be a solid fit as San Jose’s third-line center. He managed 31 points in 70 games this past season, an average of 36 points per 82 games, which was still relatively strong, despite a shooting percentage which was much lower than his career average.
It would be bittersweet to see Thornton leave the Sharks. On one hand, San Jose would be without a third-line center and it would be a blow to the bottom-six. On the other hand, however, Thornton has been chasing a Cup for over 20 years and if he has a better shot to accomplish that somewhere else, he can’t pass up the opportunity at this stage of his career.
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Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):
Do you think Joe Thornton will be back with the Sharks for the 2020-21 season?
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