Boston Bruins
“To the folks of Boston, you had been so good to me.”
Joe Thornton spent a majority of his 24-year NHL profession taking part in for the San Jose Sharks.
However, the 6-foot-4 heart started his profession with the Bruins, with Boston drafting him first total within the 1997 NHL Draft. He performed eight seasons with the Bruins — posting 454 factors in 532 video games — earlier than the workforce traded their captain to San Jose in a blockbuster transfer in November 2005.
The Bruins obtained again a package deal of gamers that included now-Bruins head coach Marco Sturm, together with Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart — whereas Thornton went on to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP after posting 125 factors throughout 81 whole video games between the Bruins and Sharks.
Thornton finally performed 15 seasons with the Sharks, recording 1,055 factors in 1,104 video games and shutting out profession ranked 14th in league historical past with 1,539 factors — simply behind each Ray Bourque and Phil Esposito.
However Thornton — who joined Zdeno Chara and other hockey legends as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 — made certain to shout out his first NHL membership throughout his enshrinement speech.
“My first couple of seasons in Boston had been fairly troublesome. It was a troublesome transition for me from the OHL to the NHL, however halfway by my second yr, I lastly discovered my footing,” Thornton stated. “I keep in mind how robust the Bruins alumni was and the way I used to be immediately accepted by them. Bobby Orr, Wayne Cashman, Gerry Cheevers, Ken Hodge, Derek Sanderson and Tommy Johnson.
“Everybody was so variety to me. They’d lunch with me, golfed with me, taught me easy methods to be a person. Wayne Cashman, we nonetheless discuss weekly. It’s the spotlight of my week. I really like you.”
Among the many Bruins alumni who Thornton credited for serving to him discover his footing within the NHL ranks, Thornton provided up a particular shoutout to Boston legend Johnny Bucyk.
“There was nobody larger in my time with the Bruins than Johnny Bucyk. After I was a child, simply 18 years previous, the Chief actually took me below his wing,” Thornton stated. “Chiefer, you taught me to get again to the sport I really like. … To the folks of Boston, you had been so good to me. Thanks.”
Join the At this time publication
Get all the pieces you might want to know to begin your day, delivered proper to your inbox each morning.
