Maple Leafs sign Joe Thornton about a decade too late

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Joe Thornton both would like to win a Stanley Cup, but they’re coming together about a decade too late

Joe Thornton is coming home to try to win a Stanley Cup. After 22 seasons with just two teams, the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, he has agreed to a one-year, $700,000 deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Thornton, a native of London, Ontario, has 1,509 points-420 goals and 1,089 assists-in his career. He’s seventh all-time in assists, 14th all-time in points and ninth in games played (1,636). Last season, he had 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 70 games for the Sharks. But he’s not that far removed from an effective 50 point-season, with 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) over 73 games in 2018-19.

Thornton is a six-time All-Star, and he won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy back in 2006. He led the league with 125 points and 96 assists that season, as he split the campaign between the Bruins (23 games) and the Sharks (58 games). The only thing missing from his Hall of Fame resume is Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Maple Leafs and Joe Thornton are coming together too late

Thornton recently signed with HC Davos near his offseason home in Switzerland to get ready for the next NHL season, which is slated to start no earlier than Jan. 1. At 41 years old, he should slot in as something like the fourth-line center for the Maple Leafs.

As noted by Pro Hockey Rumors, the Maple Leafs made a pitch to bring Thornton in with long-time Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau in 2017. Marleau landed back with the Sharks last offseason, with a trade deadline detour to the Pittsburgh Penguins before recently re-signing with San Jose. Now Thornton is headed to Toronto.

The Maple Leafs have been busy making roster changes, and general manager Kyle Dubas might not be done. How much Thornton really has left is unclear, and he’s coming to Toronto at least a decade too late to be a significant difference maker on the ice.