Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Joe+Thornton
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 01/09/12 at 04:15 PM ET
Comments (2)
“I couldn’t believe what he was doing and I don’t think the referee could either. “I know of no other captain in the NHL who would have so little class like Thornton exhibited.”
-Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks on Joe Thornton poking his glove in his face. More and other topics from Gord Stellick of CBC.
If you don’t recall the incident, you can watch it here.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Henrik+Sedin, Joe+Thornton,
Video- I Think We Can Now Say…
by Paul on 12/29/11 at 01:59 AM ET
Comments (25)
... Joe Thornton doesn’t like Swedes…
More evidence below… ha.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Tortorella With More On Thornton’s Words, Thornton Backs-Off
by Paul on 11/01/11 at 02:30 PM ET
Comments (11)
from Pat Leonard of the Blueshirts Blog,
John Tortorella did not appreciate Sharks captain Joe Thornton calling the Rangers soft after the Blueshirts defeated San Jose, 5-2, Monday night. Not one bit.
“Yeah it caught me off-guard when it was brought up after the game,” Tortorella said at the team’s Greenburgh practice facility Tuesday morning. “It surprised me, and I’ve never heard a player say that. Joe’s a heck of a player, but here’s a player popping off about our team, and Joe hasn’t won a g—damn thing in this league. He could go down as a player, being one of the better players in our league never to win anything. So what he should do is just shut up. It was uncalled for, it was classless, and I’ve never had it happen like that before.”
via Darren Dreger tweet,
Thornton says “soft” was not the right word to describe Rangers. He was frustrated says it was a game SJ should have won with NYR struggling
added 8:36pm, video of Torts from yesterday after the game and today after practice can be watched below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton, John+Tortorella,
Evening Line
by Paul on 10/31/11 at 10:59 PM ET
Comments (5)
via Katie Strang of ESPN New York,
“They were probably the softest team we played on the trip. We should have had these two points.”
-Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks after losing to the New York Rangers 5-2 tonight.
Rangers head coach John Tortorella after hearing the words from Thornton?
“Wonderful.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton, John+Tortorella,
Thornton Ready To Lead
by Paul on 05/24/11 at 09:41 AM ET
Comments (7)
from Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News,
Whether he’s in screaming pain for 25 shifts or numbed from head to skate toe, Joe Thornton will be heard from in Game 5 Tuesday, somehow and someway.
He is hurt, but Thornton will play in Vancouver with the Sharks down 3-1 and facing elimination, because he says he’ll play.
“When Joe Thornton comes to you and tells you he’s playing,” coach Todd McLellan said Monday, “he’s playing.”
And there’s more to it than that.
Though Thornton gave added credibility to his tenure as Sharks captain in several recent playoff performances, this new moment is loaded with even greater potential symbolism.
The Sharks’ season might be flickering out, but Thornton’s reign as the team’s unquestioned leader could be taking off from here.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Raffi Torres Hit on Joe Thornton
by Alanah McGinley on 05/22/11 at 07:13 PM ET
Comments (19)
Joe Thornton was gone for the latter part of the game and no updates on his condition were available to the press in the post-game press conferences.
Others may disagree, but I think it was a clean hit. Still, Thornton’s had a great playoffs and it would be unfortunate if this turned out to be serious at all. We’ll cross our fingers that he’s alright.
Video:
Update 6:58pm ET: From Working the Corners—
The Sharks did not make Joe Thornton available to the media after that 4-2 loss and Todd McLellan said he had nothing to report yet when he was asked about his captain’s status during the post-game press conference.
But a text message to Thornton several hours later did get this response when he was asked the chances he’d be ready to play in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
“100 percent,” he wrote to my Mercury News colleague Mark Emmons. “It’s playoffs, got to play through everything.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: joe+thornton, raffi+torres,
Not Your “Average Joe” Performance
by Paul on 05/15/11 at 06:40 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,
Had Thornton played here the way he played Thursday night in San Jose, it’s all but a guarantee that we wouldn’t be talking about a Stanley Cup drought that now approaches 40 years. Thornton played with fire, with awareness, with grit. He used his strength, size, speed, and smarts and made himself a presence on every one of his 33 shifts. He exuded confidence, toughness, and leadership.
If you’re old enough to remember, Thornton’s play Thursday night was reminiscent of the days here in the ’60s and ’70s when Bobby Orr took to the ice. What, duck out for a shift to grab something in the kitchen? Are you nuts? Miss a shift of that? Good luck to you and the Oakland Seals. Everything about Thornton’s play spoke to awareness and anticipation and game sense, to owning the sheet.
Just one example that doesn’t show up in the game summary: Thornton sprinting back to catch up to a two-on-one break and disrupt the Red Wings’ scoring chance some 10 feet in front of the net. Obviously, not a situation Orr often found himself in, but Thornton’s action was reminiscent of No. 4 in that it displayed such high-end speed and game intelligence and, most important, determination. With each ferocious stride, you could almost hear the big, bearded lug snorting, “Not . . . gonna . . . happen!’’
more plus numerous hockey topics discusssed…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
SJ Sharks: Various Quotes, Reflections, Evaluations
by Alanah McGinley on 05/13/11 at 12:30 AM ET
Comments (1)
From Dave Lozo at NHL.com, some thoughts from Joe Thornton:
Q: Are you feeling more relieved or excited about the Game 7 victory?
A: Satisfied. It’s satisfaction, yeah. We thought we’d win this game at home. We felt pretty good.
Q: Can you tell us the emotions you’ve gone through during this series?
A: Couple highs, couple lows. But really, this team all year—a lot of people here right now haven’t followed us—we’re pretty even-keeled all year. I think it just showed now. We went up 3-0 and didn’t panic (losing the last three games). We just came out and played. That’s what we did tonight.
Q: How nice was it to see Patrick Marleau get the game-winning goal?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: joe+thornton, mike+babcock, patrick+marleau,
Video- Joe Thornton With The OT Winner
by Paul on 04/26/11 at 12:31 AM ET
Comments (10)
On to the Western Conference Semifinals for the Sharks.
Here is the goal as described b the TSN crew…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Joe Thornton Reaches 1000 Point Milestone
by Paul on 04/09/11 at 09:16 AM ET
Comments (0)
His 306th career goal added to his 694 assists give him 1000 regular season points.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Morning Line
by Paul on 12/04/10 at 08:50 AM ET
Comments (2)
St. Louis’ David Perron has missed 13 games since a Joe Thornton hit on him, giving him a concussion. It was a good hockey hit, the type players grow up learning. Still, Thornton had to be suspended. You can’t take that hit out of the game, but the league has to try; concussion prevention simply hasn’t kept up with the strength of players.
-Jake Leonard of the San Francisco Chronicle
If you need a refresher, watch the hit below….
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: David+Perron, Joe+Thornton,
Talk Continues- Thornton Hit On Perron
by Paul on 11/08/10 at 07:32 PM ET
Comments (3)
from David Pollak of Working the Corners,
Players and one San Jose broadcaster had suggested that Perron embellished the hit by lying flat on the ice for a while in order to make sure Thornton got the maximum in-game penalty. The fact that Perron was back on the ice less than five minutes later and ended up scoring a goal certainly bolstered the idea.
So were players ready to back down now that the St. Louis forward has been held out of two games?
Not exactly.
“Like I said, from what we saw on the bench, it didn’t look that bad,” said Dan Boyle, one of the players I talked with that night. “We felt he embellished. . . . The fact that he’s missed a couple of games certainly makes it a more legit injury. But it didn’t look right from the bench and then he came back right away.”
Both Boyle and Dany Heatley noted that it was unfortunate that Perron has missed a couple of games and “nobody wants that at all.”
But Heatley stuck to his original statement as far as Perron “did stay on the ice to get that five-minute call.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: David+Perron, Joe+Thornton,
Thornton Appeals Suspension To Bettman & Loses
by Paul on 11/06/10 at 03:26 PM ET
Comments (0)
Did Joe Thornton actually think his suspension would be overturned by Bettman?
Joe’s brother John, who was part of the appeal process, had this to say.
I guess being 5’9” was Joe’s only solution to avoid this suspension. We are extremely disappointed with the league’s decision and feel the continuing uncertainty with league actions will only hurt the fans of the NHL
The quote is via Pierre LeBrun’s twitter where you can read more on this topic.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
The NHL Made The Wrong Call On Thornton
by Paul on 11/05/10 at 10:35 PM ET
Comments (4)
from Jamie Baker of the Broadcasters Blog at Sharks.com,
What message is the NHL sending?
· Playing with your head down is okay?
· Being bigger is not okay – especially when your shoulder is at the same level as someone else’s chin?
· Faking an injury after an apparent head contact hit is okay?
It is a trend that I am starting to see; players diving or faking injuries to draw penalties. I have one quick solution to fix that – take the instigator penalty out of the game because it is protecting the divers.
Let’s look at the problem in another way. What about Douglas Murray - how many times does he get boarded but there are not calls because he is 240 pounds and doesn’t fall down.
more and a piece on Wendel Clark too…
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Evening Line
by Paul on 11/05/10 at 05:15 PM ET
Comments (8)
“We strongly disagree with the two-game suspension handed down by the NHL today to Joe Thornton. What is most distressing is that we feel the suspension is not consistent to the recent reviews by the League following similar collisions resulting in players leaving the penalty box and establishing their place on the ice, including Willie Mitchell on Jonathan Toews.
“In Joe’s case, it was clearly not a predatory-type hit with an intent to injure, shown by the fact that the player returned to the ice for his next shift so it is clear that the contact to the head was minimal. We put a lot of time and effort into helping define the NHL’s new rule on headshots but we feel strongly that this suspension is not a reflection of the rule’s true intent.”
-San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson on the Joe Thornton suspension.
added 6:39pm,
“I didn’t actually see the hit until this morning. I didn’t intend to hurt or do anything bad to him. He kind of ran into me, to be honest with you. Last night and this morning I had about three dozen text messages from players around the league saying they can’t believe I even got a penalty.”
-Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks. More from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Doug+Wilson, Joe+Thornton,
Thornton Suspended Two Games For Hit On Perron
by Paul on 11/05/10 at 02:35 PM ET
Comments (13)
via TSN,
Sharks captain Joe Thornton has been suspended two games for his hit on St. Louis Blues forward David Perron on Thursday night.
Colin Campbell was travelling on Friday, so Mike Murphy conducted the formal portion of the conference call hearing, and Murphy and Campbell determined that supplemental discipline was required.
Thornton’s agent and brother John Thornton intends on talking to the NHLPA about possibly appealing since Campbell did not conduct the hearing, but it’s unlikely the decision will be overturned.
If you missed the hit, you can watch it here.
added 4:46pm,
TORONTO (November 5, 2010) – San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton has been suspended for two games and will forfeit $77,419.36 in salary as a result of delivering an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward David Perron in NHL game #176, last night, the National Hockey League announced today.
The incident occurred at 5:26 of the second period and Thornton was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct under Rule 48 for Illegal Check to the Head.
Thornton will miss games against Tampa Bay (Nov. 6) and Anaheim (Nov. 9). He is eligible to return Nov. 11 against the New York Islanders.
Thornton’s fine is based on his average annual salary and is calculated under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: David+Perron, Joe+Thornton,
Video- Joe Thornton Hit On David Perron
by Paul on 11/04/10 at 09:19 PM ET
Comments (13)
Thornton received five for an illegal check to the head, a ten and game misconduct.
Perron is ok.
Watch the hit starting at the 1:05 mark.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: David+Perron, Joe+Thornton,
JJ’s Three Cheers: 10/28/10
by Jon Jordan on 10/28/10 at 07:50 AM ET
Comments (1)
Time again to a tip a few back, honoring the best of the best from last night’s NHL action:
***Cheers to Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis, whose highlight reel third period goal broke a 3-3 tie in Tampa and led the Lightning to a win over Pittsburgh by a final of 5-3. St. Louis also added an empty netter late to seal things and I’m fast becoming more and more convinced that the heart of the Bolts just keeps getting better all the time.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton, Martin+St.+Louis, Michal+Neuvirth, Semyon+Varlamov,
Brad Richards Or Joe Thornton
by Paul on 10/20/10 at 01:18 PM ET
Comments (2)
Each week hockey columnist Scott Morrison and senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby exchange (mostly) friendly banter on the latest storylines in the NHL.
1. Who would you rather have on your team, Brad Richards or Joe Thornton? Thornton just signed a three-year, $21-million extension with the San Jose Sharks to scratch his name from the potential unrestricted 2011 free-agent list. Richards, in the last year in his deal with the Dallas Stars, remains a candidate for free agency next summer.
WHARNSBY: I’ll take Brad Richards. Jumbo Joe is grand fellow. He has that relaxed surfer-dude persona. He’s extremely friendly. But I’m concerned about his lack of success in the NHL playoffs.
more at CBC…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brad+Richards, Joe+Thornton,
JJ’s Three Cheers: 10/19/10
by Jon Jordan on 10/19/10 at 07:57 AM ET
Comments (0)
Today’s salute to the performances of yesternight, honoring those who shined in leading their clubs to victory:
***Cheers to Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, who is showing marked improvement early this season and who was named first star in Tampa’s 5-4 win over the visiting Dallas Stars last night. Hedman managed a pair of assists and led all skaters in ice time, sparking an offensive rush on several occasions and, most importantly, playing adept defense in his own end. It is early, as we must continue to note for all who have had fast starts, but Hedman’s growth in year two will play a major factor in the Lightning’s fortunes. So far, with few hiccups, they must be pleased. (Note: They are. Coach Guy Boucher singled Hedman out with post-game praise after the Dallas game.)
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Cam+Ward, Dwayne+Roloson, Joe+Thornton, John+Tavares, Justin+Peters, Marian+Hossa, Michael+Neuvirth, Patrick+Sharp, Phil+Kessel, Semyon+Varlamov, Victor+Hedman,
A Breath Of Fresh Air
by Paul on 10/17/10 at 10:51 AM ET
Comments (0)
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,
Sharks Extend Joe Thornton
by Paul on 10/16/10 at 12:30 PM ET
Comments (4)
from Sharks.com,
Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson has locked up team captain Joe Thornton with a three-year, $21 million contract extension that will keep the 2006 Hart and Art Ross Trophy winner in the Bay Area through the 2013-14 season.
“Joe stepped up and made a tremendous commitment to this franchise, his teammates and the fans in San Jose,” Wilson said. “We are very pleased that we now have another key piece of this team’s core under contract for the next four seasons.”
added 1:33pm, via Pierre LeBrun tweet,
The San Jose Sharks have signed captain Joe Thornton to a $21-million, three-year contract extension
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Captain Thornton
by Paul on 10/07/10 at 07:26 AM ET
Comments (3)
from David Pollak of Working the Corners,
Now it’s official: Joe Thornton will wear the ‘C’ on his jersey this season.
Beyond that, Todd McLellan announced that Dan Boyle will have a “permanent ‘A’ and Patrick Marleau and Ryane Clowe would rotate as the second assistant — Marleau at home games, Clowe on the road.
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
It’s No Longer Jumbo Joe
by Paul on 09/24/10 at 09:59 AM ET
Comments (0)
Joe Thornton discusses playoff hockey from last season plus the upcoming season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Expect A Big Year From Joe Thornton
by Paul on 09/20/10 at 04:57 PM ET
Comments (3)
from Nabil Karim of CBC,
So San Jose’s management team has some big time questions to answer.
Does the organization believe Thornton has exorcised his playoff demons? In the twilight of his career, can he deliver consistently for multiple seasons? And what is the right price to pay for number 19?
It will all make for some interesting storylines to follow in California this season.
Will San Jose sign Thornton early on to squash the distraction? Or do they gamble and play out the year to see how Thornton and the Sharks fair this season?
Will Sharks’ general manager Doug Wilson trade Thornton at the deadline to get valuable assets in return, or lose him for nothing in the off-season?
It’s a tough decision to make with any player. It’s even more difficult with a player of Thornton’s calibre and worth.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Joe Thornton Wants To Stay In San Jose
by Paul on 08/30/10 at 07:42 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Mark Emmons of the Mercury News,
Joe Thornton has fallen hard for the San Jose lifestyle. And that’s funny considering he didn’t even think it was possible for him to be here in the first place….
Thornton, 31, has had preliminary talks about extending his contract with the Sharks—which ends after this season—and makes it abundantly clear that he wants to stay with the organization.
When it comes to the South Bay, Thornton sounds like a man ready to sign a lifetime contract. He and wife Tabea are building a new home in the Los Gatos-Saratoga area. He has a farmhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, where he grew up, and the couple has an apartment in Tabea’s native Switzerland.
But, he added, “This is where the Thornton family has put down roots.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Sharks GM Talks Thornton Deal
by Paul on 07/29/10 at 05:37 PM ET
Comments (1)
via Craig Custance of The Sporting News,
Sharks GM Doug Wilson has done well to keep his core together this summer, re-signing Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski through the 2013-14 season, and would ultimately like to add Thornton to that list.
“The onus is on us to make this a place guys want to play and stay at,” Wilson said. “The group of players that we have, that have complemented us as an organization, that’s something we hope to continue.”
Thornton, who had 89 points in the regular season, added 12 points in 15 playoff games as the Sharks advanced to the Western Conference finals.
While Wilson won’t publicly comment on negotiations with Thornton, he made one thing clear: He won’t be doing any Kovalchuk-like deal with his franchise center, even if an extended long-term deal would help drive down the salary cap hit.
“We don’t have any contracts longer than four years,” Wilson said. “We are a player payroll team. We operate the way we operate. Under the CBA, people have options and choices. We have our own structure.”
Craig also points out the Bruins have had preliminary talks with Zdeno Chara.
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Banner Day For Joe Thornton
by Paul on 07/11/10 at 08:01 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Kyle Rea of the Times-Journal,
He is arguably the biggest celebrity to hail from St. Thomas.
And, now, Joe Thornton has a permanent banner at the Timken Centre, marking two decades of hockey accomplishments in St. Thomas and beyond. Unveiled on Friday, the four-by-20 foot banner will hang in the upper level of the Timken Centre’s main rink.
While Joe Thornton was unable to attend, his parents, Wayne and Mary Thornton, were on hand for the official unveiling.
“We would just like to thank all of St. Thomas for supporting Joe throughout the years. They’ve been fantastic,” said Wayne Thornton. “All of his friends are here, everybody has been behind Joe to support him, sometimes financially, sometimes with moral support. The whole Thornton family really appreciates what St. Thomas has done.”
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
What Went Wrong Joe?
by Paul on 05/19/10 at 07:40 AM ET
Comments (1)
from Dave Lozo of NHL.com,
Despite the late-game slash and garbage time melee, McLellan was happy with Thornton’s overall game.
“If I look at Joe’s game, I thought Joe played a pretty solid game,” he said. “He was skating. He was big. He was strong.”
Thornton sat down at his locker for a quick interview session with the media following the game:
Q: What went wrong tonight?
Thornton: I didn’t think we gave them too much, to be honest with you. I thought we played good defensive hockey. I don’t know how many chances they got. We were just not capitalizing on our chances. They are with theirs. We aren’t with ours.
Thornton has to be better than -4 for the WCF.
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Improving Joe Thornton
by Paul on 05/10/10 at 10:38 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,
Before we start to credit Joe Thornton’s playoff play and forget his past performances because of the six-game point’s streak he’s riding, his defensive play could use a little pick-me-up. When the Detroit Red Wings crushed San Jose 7-1 last Thursday, Thornton was minus-3 and he’s minus-4 overall in the post-season.
Still, you have to be impressed with the way he has taken charge on offense; no longer staying to the outside where he is less effective, but instead working the puck to the net. The results have been significant.
continue plus additional playoff topics…
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Get It In Gear Joe Thornton
by Paul on 04/22/10 at 12:51 PM ET
Comments (3)
from Joe O’Conner of the National Post,
The playoffs are a different kind of hockey beast, an annual rite of spring that is far more life and death than the 82-game preamble. April, May and June are set aside for greatness. The stakes are high, expectations are elevated, and the best players are supposed to find that extra gear.
But you never seem to change gears, Joe. While everybody else is stepping up you always seem to take a step sideways. Or worse, back.
That is what happened last year when your Sharks captured the President’s Trophy as the best team during the regular season and then face-planted in the opening round of the playoffs. You had one goal and four assists in six game. You were a playoff bust. You always have been.
A team with Joe Thornton on it has never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. A player that is averaging 1.26 points per regular-season game since the lockout is averaging 0.82 points per playoff game over the same stretch.
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Thornton Says Injury Not Serious
by Paul on 03/29/10 at 04:14 PM ET
Comments (0)
via Mark Emmons of the Mercury News,
Sharks star Joe Thornton said today that he’s not seriously injured and hopes to return to the lineup sometime on the four-game trip that opens Wednesday night in Dallas.
“I expect to play, but I just don’t know when,” Thornton said. “It’s just day-to-day. Every day I wake up and hope I feel a little better.”
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Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Joe Thornton Hurt In Game Tonight
by Paul on 03/28/10 at 12:12 AM ET
Comments (5)
Thornton did not return and nothing yet on the injury.
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
Thornton & His ‘Dummy’
by Paul on 09/17/09 at 08:09 PM ET
Comments (5)
What do you think, does Joe have the talent or not?
thanks to a KK reader for the pointer…
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Thornton,
One Of These Two May Not Be On Team Canada
by Paul on 08/26/09 at 08:49 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated,
The last time Vinny Lecavalier actually had to make a team was ... well, never.
And the last time Joe Thornton had to make a team ... was, well, almost never.
Making teams are for other guys, not the gifted and precocious and iconic. But as Canada Red and Canada White departed the Pengrowth Saddledome after Day 2 of the Most Serious Olympic Hockey Orientation Camp in the world, it seemed apparent that there would not be room for the both of them next February.
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Tags: Joe+Thornton, Team+Canada, Vinny+Lecavalier,
How About This One? Spezza For Thornton
by Paul on 05/02/09 at 05:27 PM ET
Comments (9)
from Don Brennan of Off The Posts at the Ottawa Sun,
It was suggested to me this morning by a friend in the business that the Senators and Sharks might want to consider a 1-for-1, high-profile trade that would give each team a significant shake on the heels of a disappointing season: Jason Spezza for Joe Thornton.
Spezza, who is 25, is listed as 6-foot-2, 206 pounds. He has 418 points in 404 regular season games. He has 39 points in 40 playoff games. He’ll make $8 million for each of the next four years.
Thornton, who is 29, is listed as 6-foot-4, 235 pounds. He has scored 842 points in 836 regular season games. He has 53 points (and just 12 goals) in 76 playoff games. He’ll make $7.2 million for each of the next two seasons.My opinion: The younger Spezza has more upside. But if the cap goes down, as expected, that salary could be a real handicap.
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Tags: Jason+Spezza, Joe+Thornton,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 04/27/09 at 11:20 AM ET
Comments (11)
“I don’t think it’s in Joe’s nature to be mean, but when he is mean, he’s unstoppable. That’s intensity. When you’re intense, you’re a hard person to play against.”
“He can’t pick his spots. For him to be known as one of the greatest players in the world from now on, he’s got to bring that. He makes a lot of money to bring that intensity. You can’t rely on just his eyes and his know-how all the time.”
-Jeremy Roenick on Joe Thornton. More from David Pollak at Working the Corners.
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Joe Thornton In The Spotlight
by Paul on 04/19/09 at 09:22 AM ET
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from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,
He’s a nice guy, fun to be around. Sweet hands. Big body. Good teammate. Doesn’t ever play the “I’m a star” card.
But when the light goes on for the playoffs, it’s like he gets stage fright. Does he have it in him to be a lead dog in the playoff race, like Vincent Lecavalier, another highly talented centre, was with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004? Or the mild-mannered but zealously competitive Joe Sakic for all those years in Colorado?
Admittedly, it took Steve Yzerman 14 years before he carried his first Stanley Cup in Detroit and legitimized his career. Super Mario Lemieux didn’t win until he was seven years along the NHL trail in Pittsburgh. But this is Thornton’s 11th NHL season. His legacy continues to be that of a wonderful player in the regular season, a guaranteed top-10 point-producer.
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O’Connell Would Trade Thornton Again
by Paul on 02/08/09 at 07:30 AM ET
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from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,
Joe Thornton will be back on Causeway Street Tuesday night, only his second visit to the Hub of Hockey since the Nov. 30, 2005, trade that Mike O’Connell orchestrated, sending Jumbo Joe, the Boston franchise’s centerpiece, to the San Jose Sharks.
Some three-plus years later, O’Connell figures the trade was justified, and it is one that he would make again, given the same circumstances. As for what he got in return, said O’Connell, there will always be those who say he should have received more.
“That’s always the case, even if it’s your best trade,” said the former Bruins general manager, these days overseeing pro development for the Los Angeles Kings. “But it was like any trade: You take in, rely on what everyone in the organization says - scouts, everyone - and let’s not forget there was a money issue here, too, moving Joe with his high [$6.6 million] salary. This wasn’t the pre-salary-cap NHL. Like all these deals, the money had to work, too.”
continued plus more hockey topics…
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This Is Joe
by Paul on 02/07/09 at 06:33 PM ET
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from Sharkspage,
San Jose public television station KTEH recently featured San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton as part of a series of local profiles called This is Us. The program features Bay Area figures including surfing pioner Jack O’Neill, Gilroy boxer Roberto Guerrero, San Jose Opera’s Irene Dalis, botanist Joel Goldsmith among several others.
This is US labels Joe Thornton “the best professional athlete in the Bay Area” and calls him a potential lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame. They speak with Thornton about growing up playing the game with his brothers, and note that above all the one intangible he brings to the game for San Jose is leadership.
continued and watch the 7 minute video there.
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Joe Thornton’s Return to Boston
by Alanah McGinley on 02/06/09 at 06:11 PM ET
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From the CP via TSN:
Thornton said at the time that he was “blindsided” by the deal that sent him to the Sharks for Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau. Facing Boston now is just another game.
“Really that’s all it is to me,” he said. “There’s not too many ex-teammates over there, and it’s just really an important game in the schedule.
“They’re the best in the East and we’re the best in the West. So it’s an important game that way rather than I’m playing against friends.”
read on for more from Thornton’s media conference call today
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Joe Thornton Thinking Shorter Contract Deal
by Paul on 01/29/09 at 09:54 AM ET
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from David Pollak of Working the Corners,
That 12-year contract extension that Detroit gave Henrik Zetterbeg today isn’t the kind of job security that Joe Thornton lusts after. In fact, when it comes to term of contract, Thornton said he sees one year or three years as the ideal length. Thornton has another season after this one on his current three-year deal, and if he decides he wants to finish his career in San Jose, he said he’d want it to be in a series of three-year deals, not one gigantic extension.
“Three years is a long time when you think about it,” Thornton said. “A lot can change in three years so why put yourself in for such a long term when three is enough for me.”
Still, Thornton liked the 12-year, $72 million deal.
more on the Sharks including the Boyle injury…
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Your ASG Captains
by Paul on 01/22/09 at 10:23 AM ET
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from John Kreiser of NHL.com,
Montreal forward Alex Kovalev will be wearing the captain’s “C” in front of the home folks at Sunday’s All-Star Game.
Kovalev was named captain of the Eastern Conference team and San Jose center Joe Thornton will wear the “C” for the Western Conference squad when the NHL holds its 57th All-Star Game at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
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‘Risk’y Joe
by Paul on 12/11/08 at 10:31 AM ET
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via NBCBayarea, Off the ice, Sharks forward Joe Thornton takes strategy to a whole new level with the computer version of the game Risk.
thanks to SanJoseSharks.com for the pointer…
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Hard To Shut Down Joe Thornton
by Paul on 09/26/08 at 10:26 AM ET
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from John Kreiser of NHL.com,
Joe Thornton is the NHL’s most prolific passer, having paced the League in assists for the third consecutive season while leading the San Jose Sharks to the Pacific Division title last season.
But Thornton’s value to the Sharks is more than just the numbers he puts up. Opponents had to figure out a way to try to shut him down for an average of 21:23 per game last season – more ice time than any other forward who spent all season in the division.
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A Meaner Joe Thornton
by Paul on 09/18/08 at 08:17 AM ET
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from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,
Every team is unbeaten. Coaches are sleeping well at night. Every draft pick looks like a keeper. It’s training camp, and here are some few things to consider for the upcoming season:
Does Jumbo Joe Thornton have to change the way he plays (i.e., get into the traffic more or be a little nastier) to win a Stanley Cup?
All those 90- and 100-point regular seasons are swell, but guys who rack up points yet don’t win often don’t get enough votes for the Hall of Fame.
many more things to consider…
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Why No Joe
by Paul on 08/08/08 at 05:19 PM ET
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from Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated,
I knew some of you wouldn’t take it very well. But honestly, I was surprised by how many of you did.
“It’s about time someone recognized that Team Canada should steer clear of Joe Thornton,” wrote Ron Godin of Etobicoke, Ontario. “He’d be gangbusters against Latvia and France, but he lacks the heart and the will to compete against the Americans and Russians.”
That pretty much mirrors the thought process that went into the decision to leave Thornton off my proposed 2010 Team Canada lineup…
And while Yzerman was willing to play a checking role for the Canadians, he already was accustomed to that style of play after having his game reshaped in Detroit by Scotty Bowman. Remember, Yzerman won the Selke in 2000, so that was part of his game.
You can’t say that for Thornton. And it’s not that I think he’s incapable of checking. It’s just that Canada’s depth gives it more appealing options.
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Thornton Delivers
by Paul on 04/16/08 at 07:17 AM ET
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from Mark Purdy of the Mercury News,
Thornton was planted in front of the Calgary net, taking a royal Canadian pounding from a passel of guys in red Flames jerseys. Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray launched a gorgeously on-target shot from up top. Thornton then used his trademark stick control to perfectly deflect the puck past goalie Miikka Kiprusoff.
Suddenly, the enormous Pengrowth Saddledome went silent. You could almost hear the flaming gas jets in the rafters, the ones that regularly shoot out big bursts of fire, click off the way they do on your home barbecue.
Sharks 3, Calgary 2. Prescription filled.
And it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy in the process of overcoming a largely unfair reputation as a playoff non-dominator.
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Evening Line
by Paul on 04/15/08 at 05:55 PM ET
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via the CBC 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs Blog,
Thornton, San Jose’s leading goal scorer and point producer in the regular season, has only three assists and the questions were whether the Flames have done anything special to defend him.
“No, they’re just tight checking,” Thornton said after the morning skate. “They take away your time and space, so you have to make your space. They’re tight on you, they make sure you have no room.
“That’s how you play hockey.”
Curiously, Thornton is coming off a two-assist performance, but knows his play will be closely compared to Jarome Iginla’s.
“When you’re down 2-1, everybody can do more and I have to do more to help this team win,” Thornton said. “I have to have a big game tonight.”
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Good Luck Charm
by Paul on 04/13/08 at 04:15 PM ET
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from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
“We’re like the Queen,” the San Jose Sharks’ Joe Thornton was saying. “We travel with our own toilet seat.”
OK, that probably needs some explanation. The Sharks moved into the visitor’s dressing room at the Pengrowth Saddledome Sunday morning, to continue their best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series against the Flames. The Sharks usually travel with all kinds of team-related paraphernalia. Draped just inside the entrance to the dressing room are replicas of their Pacific Division champion banners (from 2001-02 and 2003-04). There are personalized Shark skate mats for each player; every one of the four walls also has a This Is Sharks Playoff time posters. All make sense – sort of.
Update 6:01pm ET: More from Duhatschek today on the Sharks/Flames series, including musings on Jarome Iginla’s “scoring slump”:
[On] Masters Sunday, Keenan invoked the spirit of Tiger Woods, noting how Iginla “reminds me of Tiger – a bogey on the first hole and then he’s going to birdie the rest of the 17. I’m looking forward to it.”
added 6:51pm, Why not- even more on the toilet seat from Working the Corners....
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