Kukla's Korner Hockey
A Breath Of Fresh Air
by Paul on 10/17/10 at 11:51 AM ET
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from Jamie Baker at Sharks.com,
Joe Thornton could have waited to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and used that leverage to increase the salary he will make for the next three or more years. But that’s not what Joe wanted.
Joe taking more money can handcuff an organization and limit its ability to sign other players, typically depth players. You see folks, Joe is greedy. He wants to win! To win means signing for a bit less so the whole is greater than the parts.
Ask anyone who really knows Joe Thornton and they’ll say Joe is generous to a fault. I think Joe is smart and knows that his generosity will pay off with more wins and a better shot at winning the Stanley Cup.
In a tough economy, Joe respects the working class people that come to watch him play. He didn’t need to disrespect them by jumping ship and going to a different team to make an extra million or two a year.
This was Joe’s deal with his agent and brother John overseeing the legalities of it. John let his client do what was right for him, the organization and ultimately hockey. Ilya Kovalchuk and his agent were not looking out for hockey with their ridiculous contract demands this past summer. With negotiations looming between the Players Union and the NHL, Joe’s signing is a breath of fresh air for the game of hockey.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
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