Joe to Toronto done

[Quid Pro Clowe]

We don't even know that DW offered him a contract or if he basically said "it would be best if you didn't re-sign here" while he offered the contract.

I read an article the other day saying Wilson told him his spot in the line up was there if he wanted it. Wouldn't surprise me if he got to know Boughner's style more and wanted to play elsewhere.

 

[Cas]

Kellman is a 4C at best, Gambrell is awful, Suomela hasn't shown much (although I'd say he hasn't had much of an opportunity to succeed), and Handemark is a ?? I'd give a Handemark a shot.

I didn't say they were good options to play 3C...

 

[slocal]

I'm sure this signing will soften some of the Thornton critique from Boston fans

 

[hohosaregood]

We don't even know that DW offered him a contract or if he basically said "it would be best if you didn't re-sign here" while he offered the contract.

With the interviews Doug gave out this summer about the style of play, I feel like they were ready to move on from Jumbo and never gave him a serious offer.

 

[Lebanezer]

We don't even know that DW offered him a contract or if he basically said "it would be best if you didn't re-sign here" while he offered the contract.

Doug always says that Joe has a place there if he wants it. It's been that way for years. I'm sure that Joe just calls Doug, they pick a number, and he signs. I don't think it ever got more formal than that.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

We dont have any voices to replace it. No one else has the presence he does with Pavelski gone.

Maybe it gives someone else the desire to take the role.

 

[WSS11]

This says a whole lot about the state of our team.

I’m not sure about that. I truly believe based on how DW jr drafted and how this team is being constructed that Boughner and Rocky want a faster lineup. I’d be willing to bet that if Deboer was still the coach that Jumbo would have re-signed in SJ.

 

[themelkman]

Maybe it gives someone else the desire to take the role.

I just dont see it. I think the locker room is only going to get worse

 

[Levie]

I'm going to blame this on Pete Deboer. Thanks a lot pistol Pete.

 

[SharksAddict]

I just dont see it. I think the locker room is only going to get worse

Sooner we find out the better. Move guys out as needed if that’s the case.

 

[tealzamboni]

We don't even know that DW offered him a contract or if he basically said "it would be best if you didn't re-sign here" while he offered the contract.

Yeah, I get the impression that DW does a good job in communicating the big picture plans for each player. As with Pavelski and Marleau, Thornton probably knew for a long time what his options were and DW gave him the space to make a choice.

 

[themelkman]

Sooner we find out the better. Move guys out as needed if that’s the case.

See you in 2025 when this mess is fixed

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

I don't think Toronto is a Cup contender, but look at what just happened with Tampa - they got embarrassed the year before and rallied from it. Hell, it happened to the Sharks too after 2014 and 2015. Sometimes a loss like Toronto just had in the POs is what a team needs to wake up.

Ward, Martin and PDB were significant upgrades to that team over the previous season. I don't see the pickups so far for Toronto having as much of an impact, though I've been wrong before.

Tampa learned from their experience and added grit to their skill at the deadline. Guys like Goodrow and Coleman were perfect compliments to their all world skilled players. Brisebois using a bit of old fashioned camaraderie building helped and is something analytics, as good as they are, will never quantify.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

I'm sure this signing will soften some of the Thornton critique from Boston fans

Nothing makes me happier than pissing of hobbits.

Hadn't even thought of it from that angle.

 

[tealzamboni]

The funny thing is thornton is the perfect player to have for both those defensemen. They both love to roam the offensive zone to find soft spots on the ice to break down defenses. And we all know even at this age thornton is still one of the best at finding those open guys that nobody but thornton could find open.

To me it seemed like especially deboer tried to put square pegs into cirlcle holes when it came to those 3. Making all 3 less effective at what they do best.

Take the training wheels off burns/karlsson and would of been thornton till now. And those 3 would wreck havoc on teams.

Yeah I figured that would've been the best utilization of Thornton, even at age 41: get everyone moving end-to-end and let Joe find them in motion

But, either PDB or the organization seemed set on the hail mary stretch pass offense combined with heat map metrics.

 

[SharksAddict]

With the interviews Doug gave out this summer about the style of play, I feel like they were ready to move on from Jumbo and never gave him a serious offer.

He signed for league minimum. Doug made it very clear they had a spot for him if he wanted it.

 

[Dicdonya]

Sad to see him go, truly the end of an era, but we should have already moved on from him, and Marleau, about 2 years ago and started a rebuild. They would have had a better chance chasing cups elsewhere in that time.

DW needs to pack his shit too now that Thornton is gone and he failed to get a cup with one of the best players of his generation, and one of the best passers ever. If the Thornton era ends, so too should the DW era. Absolute BS he still has a job with us at this point.

Good luck Toronto, hope he has one more good year left in him.

 

[NWSharkie]

It's hard to see him go. Jumbo has been the face and the heart of Sharks Hockey for 15 years, and his loyalty, determination and sense of humor have defined the team's identity. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Jumbo more than anyone else has made this team as fun to root for as it's been for the past decade and a half, both on and off the ice. 15 years of giving it everything on the ice and an infectious love for the game and his teammates. I hope he gets the ring he's after this year; after everything he's done for the sport he deserves to have his name on the Cup.

 

[tealzamboni]

See you in 2025 when this mess is fixed

You'll be back just in time for the Pavs, Donskoi, Melker (re)signings.

 

[SharksFan1]

As tough as it is to see him go, I think in the end this is probably the best thing for the Sharks future. I don't think he wanted to chance not getting traded at the deadline like last season if the Sharks are out of it.

I also get the feeling he might have mentally made the decision that this is his last season, so he wants to give himself the best chance possible to lift the cup.

 

[Frosty415]

I'm sad now

 

[Tw1ster]

I’m happy for him. He’s my favorite shark of all time and will retire in a Sharks jersey on a one day contact (hopefully). Go get a cup!

 

[Levie]

Toronto is my East team this year. Don't care what anyone says.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

He's probably just letting Patty have his moment this season with the record and is scratching off a bucket list item playing with Toronto. Wouldn't surprise me if he both plays next season and does so in San Jose.

 

[Negatively Positive]

Plot twist: Toronto sucks while the Sharks are unexpectedly contenders. Thornton gets traded to the Sharks at the deadline.