NHL trade rumors: Top 3 destinations for Joe Thornton

According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the San Jose Sharks might be willing to trade Joe Thornton. Which contenders would be the best fit for him?

Going into this season, the San Jose Sharks had Stanley Cup aspirations. However, their train went off the rails quickly. Not even a head coaching firing was able to get them back on track. They’re virtually out of the playoff race, as MoneyPuck gives them a 2.3% chance of making the postseason. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Sharks could do the unthinkable by trading Joe Thornton.

In a recent article from Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Thornton appeared to be open to going to a different team. “We’ll have to see how these next couple weeks play out and then we’ll go from there” isn’t exactly a “yes”, but that’s far more open than he has been in the past.

Of course, Thornton would have to sign off on any trade. After all, he has a no-movement clause. However, it’s safe to say Thornton might be willing to waive it for the right team. It has to be eating at him that he has never won a Stanley Cup. A Stanley Cup would be the cherry on top of the glorious sundae of his career.

With a cap hit of just $2 million, a lot of contenders could afford him. Ultimately, it’s up to Jumbo Joe whether or not he gets moved. But you have to think if he wants to be traded, the Sharks would be more than happy to go out of their way to make him happy. They owe him that much.

Seeing Thornton in a different sweater would be mighty weird. Sure, he was traded to the Sharks in 2005, but he has become synonymous with the Sharks. Let’s take a look at which contenders should be most interested in acquiring Thornton.