San Jose Sharks: Why Joe Thornton is an all-time great

After passing Stan Mikita in career points, there’s no reason San Jose Shark center Joe Thornton shouldn’t be considered one of the best NHL players of all-time.

Back in 2017, the NHL came up with their list of the top 100 players of all-time. They chickened out by not ranking the players, but that’s beside the point. There were two extremely notable omissions. The first? Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins. But perhaps the biggest one was Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks.

True, Malkin has made a heck of a case to be on the list since his omission. He’s won two Stanley Cups and has all but cemented his spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame by recently picking up his 1,000th career point.

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However, remember that at the time, Thornton had a far more impressive resume. He was already among the all-time leaders in points and assists, ranking 28th and 14th respectively. Thornton also had his legendary 2005-06 season on his resume, winning the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy while being traded midseason. These accomplishments alone warranted inclusion on the exclusive list.

Since his exclusion from the top 100 players of all-time, he’s been on a mission to prove everyone wrong. Thornton has done this while continuing to laugh in the face of Father Time. True, Father Time will get the best of him eventually. It gets to everyone eventually. But despite having both knees operated on in the past two offseasons, Thornton remains a productive player even at the age of 39.

Against the Winnipeg Jets, he added another notch to his belt, passing the late, great Stan Mikita in career points. With 1,469 points, Thornton now ranks 14th. There are only two active players with at least 1,200 points – Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. Both are slam dunk, first ballot, don’t even have to think about it Hall of Fame players.

While Crosby and Ovechkin each reached 1,200 career points quicker than Thornton did, it doesn’t take away how hard it is to get to 1,200 points to begin with. Since the 1994-95 lockout, only six players have reached the milestone – Ovechkin, Crosby, Jarome Iginla, Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr, and Thornton.

But here’s what makes Thornton so special. First of all, his refusal to shoot the puck is downright hilarious at times. But it’s impossible to deny Thornton’s not one of the best passers who’s ever stepped on the ice. To get 1,469 points (second most since the 1994-95 lockout) while having the second-fewest goals of those six players I mentioned earlier, you’ve got to be a legendary passer. That’s what Thornton is.

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Secondly, his humility is second to none. When asked about passing Mikita in career points, Thornton had this to say.

With all due respect “Jumbo Joe”, you’re wrong. You deserve every accolade you receive. Whether or not Thornton ends his career with a Stanley Cup on his resume, he’s one of the best to ever lace up the skates. Enjoy him while you can.

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