Joe Thornton

Lore & Background

Joe Thornton was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL entry draft. He played seven seasons with the Bruins, three as captain. During the 2005–06 season, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks. Splitting the campaign between the two teams, he received the Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's leading point-scorer and most valuable player, respectively, becoming the only player in NHL history to win either award in a season played for multiple teams and the only player to date to win either award as a Shark. Thornton went on to play another 14 seasons with the Sharks, including four seasons as team captain and a run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals. He was the last active NHL player and the last big 4 North American sports player to have played in the 1990s. His nickname 'Jumbo Joe' is a nod to his large stature and to Jumbo the elephant, who died in St. Thomas, Ontario, where Thornton was raised. Thornton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.

Reader's Guide

Thornton's 2005–06 season is historically significant because he became the only player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy or the Hart Memorial Trophy while playing for two different teams in the same season. After being traded from the Boston Bruins to the San Jose Sharks on November 30, 2005, he tallied 92 points in 58 games with the Sharks, finishing the season with a league-leading 96 assists and 125 points total. He also became the only player to date to win either award as a Shark. The trade is widely considered to be a lopsided deal in favor of the Sharks. Thornton's on-ice vision, strength on the puck, deft passing ability and power forward style of play led to him becoming one of the league's premier centres and playmakers. He is widely regarded as one of the best passers of all time, and he is one of only 14 players with 1,000 NHL assists. His legacy includes being the last active NHL player and the last big 4 North American sports player to have played in the 1990s.

Did You Know?

• Joe Thornton is the only player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy while splitting the season between two teams.
• Thornton was the last active NHL player to have played in the 1990s.