Joe Thornton remains committed to Sharks, re-signs for 1 year
By David Rouben
While Joe Thornton could’ve joined another team to chase his quest for a Stanley Cup, he is staying put with the San Jose Sharks for at least another year.
Last offseason, San Jose Sharks alternate captain Joe Thornton stayed put even though he lost his good friend Patrick Marleau to the Toronto Maple Leafs. A year later, the Sharks lost the John Tavares sweepstakes to…guess who? The Toronto Maple Leafs!
Despite the fact that the Sharks’ offseason plans have been foiled two years in a row, there remains one constant with that team.
That would be the aforementioned Thornton, who played a career-low 47 games last season and none in the playoffs. Despite that, he still finished seventh on the Sharks in assists and tied for eighth in points.
Thornton is a hardened competitor, and while he’s getting up there in age, there was no way he was going to let last season be the lasting image we’d have of him. That’s why the Sharks announced that the two will be returning for another year:
https://twitter.com/SanJoseSharks/status/1013872240398462976
When the two re-signed last year, it was for $8 million. This year, according to Sharks beat writer Kevin Kurz, his deal is worth $5 million. Obviously, his injury played a big part in the reduction of his salary, which has nearly been cut in half. The other factor is that Thornton is now 38, and Father Time is showing signs of catching up on him.
Even when he comes back, Thornton doesn’t figure to slot in as the Sharks’ No. 1 center. That will likely be one of Logan Couture or Joe Pavelski, as the former led his team in scoring in the playoffs. The fact of the matter is the Sharks have so much depth now that Thornton can take on the role of a third-line center and power play specialist, which he’ll no doubt welcome after coming off a major injury.
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Losing the Tavares sweepstakes still hurts, but it would’ve stung a lot more if the face of the franchise for the past decade had left, too. The fact that Thornton is back means that he has a point to prove, and he believes in the Sharks as genuine Cup contenders.