Has this former Bruin played his last NHL game?
Has former Boston Bruins and NHL legend Joe Thornton played his last NHL game?
It's definitely possible after his Florida Panthers were embarrassingly swept in the second round by their cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning. However, it's also true that he has yet to make a clear statement on what his plans are for his future in the NHL.
It's evident that "Jumbo Joe" continues to play even though he's turning 43 in July, and that's winning the Stanley Cup. It's been over 20 years since he arrived in the NHL as the number one pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft for the Boston Bruins. He spent eight years with the Bs before being traded to and spending 15 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. Thornton also spent one season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. The latter appeared as though they were going to give him the chance to finally win the Stanley Cup.
Thornton, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers in 2021, appeared in just 34 games and scored five goals with five assists in the 2021-22 NHL season.
In seven seasons with the Boston Bruins, Thornton appeared in 532 games, where he collected 169 goals and 285 assists for 454 points. He also played 35 playoff games with the Bs, recording 6 goals and 12 assists. He won the Art Ross and Hart Trophy in 2006
FUN FACT:
- Joe Thornton and fellow former Bruin Zdeno Chára are the last active players of the four major North American sports leagues who played in their respective leagues in the 1990s.
- Thornton is one of only 13 players in NHL history with 1,000 NHL assists.
- His nickname "Jumbo Joe" is a nod to his large stature and to Jumbo the elephant, who died in St. Thomas, Ontario, where Thornton was raised.
