Can Joe Thornton crack the top ten?

[tgo0]

I can't see it happening. 200 points is a lot for a player in decline, regardless of how great he is/was. Combine that with the downward trend in overall league scoring, his coming off a major injury and not having a long term contract that would, at least in part, ensure his playing for 4 more seasons and it becomes very, very unlikely.


Like him and hope he at least gets a chance to make it close.

 

[weastern bias]

As much as I love Joe, I don't think it's gonna happen, we probably just saw his last 50 point year and I don't know how long he will stay in the NHL if he can't contribute at that level

However, there is a very good chance that he cracks the top 10 in assists as soon as next season, and if he plays for 5 more years he will probably be in the top 5

 

[TNT87]

I doubt it.

 

[SEALBound]

Possible, yes.

Likely, no.

 

[Juxtaposer]

No, he's 38 this year, got to think he'll retire by 40 so he probably comes up just short.

Why do you "got to think" that?

Thornton will play for at least five more years, count on it.

 

[Regal]

As much as I love Joe, I don't think it's gonna happen, we probably just saw his last 50 point year and I don't know how long he will stay in the NHL if he can't contribute at that level

However, there is a very good chance that he cracks the top 10 in assists as soon as next season, and if he plays for 5 more years he will probably be in the top 5

He had 82 just the year before this one and he's a guy whose game ages really well with his size and playmaking. I doubt this is his last 50 point year.

 

[weastern bias]

^ Joe was crazy stupid hot for the last 2/3 of the 2016 season

After scoring 17 points in the first 30 games he put up 65 points in the last 52, so his P/G had to skyrocket from .533 a game to 1.25 a game just to catch that 1 point per game mark

I'm pretty sure only Patrick Kane (Art Ross winner) scored more points after the 2016 calender year rolled over that season

Considering that 2016 is a statistical outlier from an otherwise steady decline (last 6 seasons he scored 77, 40 [lockout], 76, 65, 82, and 50 points), that he will be 38 years old next year, that he is coming off a bad knee injury that made him very ineffective in the playoffs, and that the Sharks cap situation will make it somewhere between difficult and impossible to add any top-tier offensive talent for him to play with I wouldn't be shocked if he never hits 50 points again in the NHL

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

He will have many more quality seasons as a "Golden Knight"


Edit....... As will Marleau

 

[mnwild*]

I hope so, always been one of my favorite players, I have his jersey. And I'm 100% Wild fan.

 

[Barrie22]

^ Joe was crazy stupid hot for the last 2/3 of the 2016 season

After scoring 17 points in the first 30 games he put up 65 points in the last 52, so his P/G had to skyrocket from .533 a game to 1.25 a game just to catch that 1 point per game mark

I'm pretty sure only Patrick Kane (Art Ross winner) scored more points after the 2016 calender year rolled over that season

Considering that 2016 is a statistical outlier from an otherwise steady decline (last 6 seasons he scored 77, 40 [lockout], 76, 65, 82, and 50 points), that he will be 38 years old next year, that he is coming off a bad knee injury that made him very ineffective in the playoffs, and that the Sharks cap situation will make it somewhere between difficult and impossible to add any top-tier offensive talent for him to play with I wouldn't be shocked if he never hits 50 points again in the NHL

You can say the 50 point season was the outlier considering he has been a 70 point player for 4 of those 6 years and a very close to 70 point player 1 other time.

 

[Mike Hasselhoffman]

Highly doubt it. A torn ACL and MCL are very tough injuries, especially at his age. I'd love to see it happen, but I don't think he has 4 years left to play.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I think Thornton will easily crack the top 10. Four seasons at 65 points which is very doable for Jumbo. The injury is not going to be any real issue for him.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Highly doubt it. A torn ACL and MCL are very tough injuries, especially at his age. I'd love to see it happen, but I don't think he has 4 years left to play.

Recent reports say acl tear was minimal. Mostly mcl.

 

[Phil McKraken]

I think Thornton will easily crack the top 10. Four seasons at 65 points which is very doable for Jumbo. The injury is not going to be any real issue for him.

Would be cool to see him do it, but decline usually starts snowballing at that age. Look at Iginla who went from 60 points at 37, to 27 points at 39.

 

[blankall]

If he does make the top 10, it's likely he'll only be there a few years, and Crosby will bump him out.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

If he does make the top 10, it's likely he'll only be there a few years, and Crosby will bump him out.

Maybe. Crosby has already had a ton of concussions. Only takes one more bad one and he could potentially never be the same.