Joe Thornton gets new knees for 2018-19. Thinks he'll contribute a lot alongside Kane

[Bank Shot]

did you watch a aharks playoff game

hertl is a friggin beast boy look tf out

also couture will be 32 in three seasons. hardly old and thats plenty time for them to develop/acquire a couple core type players.

also kane is a 30 goal scorer if he plays all 82, id say thats decent enough eh

Hertl has never scored 50 points. Kane is basically a 40-50 point guy these days.

Couture has peaked and while he's good, he'll probably start a slow decline in the next couple of seasons.

I guess there is plenty of time to draft/develop someone to replace Couture, but the last Couture level player the Sharks drafted and developed was Couture himself who they drafted in 2007. That's over ten years ago, so drafting a Couture level player is easier said than done.

And a team with Couture/Kane/Hertl as it's three best forwards isn't a perennial playoff team.

 

[GoJetsGo55]

I think he goes for 10-60-70

 

[Allan92]

In 3 seasons Burns will be 36, Vlasic 34, and Couture 32.

The other three aren't even worth talking about as they aren't really core-worthy guys.

Jones is most certainly a core worthy player

 

[Linda Bacon]

SJ has a solid team, I can see them going on a deep run

 

[Mulletman]

Hertl has never scored 50 points. Kane is basically a 40-50 point guy these days.

Couture has peaked and while he's good, he'll probably start a slow decline in the next couple of seasons.

I guess there is plenty of time to draft/develop someone to replace Couture, but the last Couture level player the Sharks drafted and developed was Couture himself who they drafted in 2007. That's over ten years ago, so drafting a Couture level player is easier said than done.

And a team with Couture/Kane/Hertl as it's three best forwards isn't a perennial playoff team.

Does a team always have to draft and develop their players? Couldn't they just trade for a "Thornton like player" by trading away spare parts like in 2005? Seemed to work out pretty well for the Sharks...

 

[Seanaconda]

Get him the two best passers in the league so he can get his flipping four goal game b4 he is done. I think he will be fine if he can play he has looked fine playing with the tears if they are healed idk how he could be worse

 

[Bank Shot]

Does a team always have to draft and develop their players? Couldn't they just trade for a "Thornton like player" by trading away spare parts like in 2005? Seemed to work out pretty well for the Sharks...

They can try. They did it with Thornton and Burns. I would posit that trading for a superstar is just as difficult as drafting one though.

Unless San Jose gets lucky in the next 2-3 seasons finding another great talent, they will be sliding into irrelevance.

 

[Kcoyote3]

In 3 seasons Burns will be 36, Vlasic 34, and Couture 32.

The other three aren't even worth talking about as they aren't really core-worthy guys.

Yeah, don't give a shit.

Every year people doom and gloom San Jose. When Marleau left, doom and gloom. When Thornton was gone for half the year, doom and gloom. Then SJ made the playoffs and swept Anaheim without him, now more doom and gloom.

Sharks are rebuilding on the fly. Burns and Vlasic are expensive but necessary pieces to keep this team competitive while they search for the next Thornton. Kane is a great Marleau replacement, I believe he's got 60 points a season in him as a Shark. He scored 54 last season.

Hertl and Couture are a lot better than people realize as well, as both have been behind Thornton, Marleau and Pavelski their whole careers and haven't had to be #1 guys.

Meier, Labanc and Ryan are great young guys.

 

[winnipegger]

He'll get hurt and play 40 games again. There's a reason 40 year-old people are sparse in the NHL. Your tendons, ligaments, cartilage are not as elastic or strong.

 

[eviohh26]

I trust Kane, Hertl, Burns, Couture, Vlasic and Jones more than I trust Abdelkader, Helm, Nielsen, Glendening, Dekeyser and Bernier.

What about Zadina Larkin Mantha.. Poster wasn't exactly wrong. No need to get salty.

 

[Bizz]

He's gonna be a 90 point player well into his 50's. Deal with it.

 

[Bizz]

Yeah, don't give a ****.

Every year people doom and gloom San Jose. When Marleau left, doom and gloom. When Thornton was gone for half the year, doom and gloom. Then SJ made the playoffs and swept Anaheim without him, now more doom and gloom.

Sharks are rebuilding on the fly. Burns and Vlasic are expensive but necessary pieces to keep this team competitive while they search for the next Thornton. Kane is a great Marleau replacement, I believe he's got 60 points a season in him as a Shark. He scored 54 last season.

Hertl and Couture are a lot better than people realize as well, as both have been behind Thornton, Marleau and Pavelski their whole careers and haven't had to be #1 guys.

Meier, Labanc and Ryan are great young guys.

I always love it when people say that reaching a certain age means every player starts to suck. Some players aren't prone to such drop-offs.

 

[Bank Shot]

Every year people doom and gloom San Jose. When Marleau left, doom and gloom. When Thornton was gone for half the year, doom and gloom. Then SJ made the playoffs and swept Anaheim without him, now more doom and gloom.

They did it with the Red Wings too. Eventually they were right. Nothing lasts forever and San Jose certainly looks to be on the down slope.

 

[JianYang]

Kane is a good fit for Thornton. Joe's really good at passing to players in stride, and kane is a really good net driver. Plus he can still be effective on the PP

He can still put up assists in this league.

 

[Mikeshane]

Jumbo is slow mo, his inability to keep pace will just keep getting worse and worse.

 

[Alwalys]

As long as people stop falling into his knees he should have a great season.

 

[Mattb124]

Jumbo is slow mo, his inability to keep pace will just keep getting worse and worse.

He'll probably just muddle along and maybe even fall below .75 p/gp. The horror.

 

[Mikeshane]

He'll probably just muddle along and maybe even fall below .75 p/gp. The horror.

The horror is when he doesn't have the puck and he can't keep up to his man.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

This is a guy that scored 7 goals and 50 points his last full season...and is now 39.

Keep dreaming, Joe.

 

[Barrie22]

The horror is when he doesn't have the puck and he can't keep up to his man.

Didn't affect him last year. And has never affected him ever in his near 20 year career.

 

[Sol]

Can we coin "Robo Joe" for him? Since he's getting augmented now.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

I trust Kane, Hertl, Burns, Couture, Vlasic and Jones more than I trust Abdelkader, Helm, Nielsen, Glendening, Dekeyser and Bernier.

I'll trust Zadina, Ras, Mantha, Larkin

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Hes got a solid team around him... where they don't have to heavily rely on him to be the top player on the team... I expect as long as he stays healthy hell have a solid season.

Channeling his inner Teemu

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

He's the bees knees

 

[Mikeshane]

Didn't affect him last year. And has never affected him ever in his near 20 year career.

His lack of speed absolutely was an issue last year, watching Thornton out in 3-on-3 OT brought me some good laughs.