Bruins, Sharks Legend Joe Thornton Announces NHL Retirement After 24 Seasons
October 28, 2023
"Jumbo Joe" is officially hanging up the skates.
Former San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers forward Joe Thornton announced his retirement from the NHL after 24 seasons on Saturday.
The news comes after Thornton told reporters in May 2022 following the Panthers' second-round playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning that he was undecided on whether to return for another season.
"My wife was kind of asking me last night," Thornton said at the time. "And really, I have no plans. It's kind of exciting that way. I came here to win a championship, and we fell short of that. But I think the Florida Panthers are going to be good for a long time. It's exciting around here now."
Thornton did not play the 2022-23 season and was not on an NHL roster to begin the 2023-24 campaign.
Despite never winning a Stanley Cup, Thornton had a legendary NHL career worth a nod in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1,714 games with the Panthers, Sharks, Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, he tallied 430 goals.
His 1,714 regular-season games played ranks sixth in NHL history, and his 1,109 assists are good for seventh. In addition, his 1,539 points puts him 12th in league history.
Thornton also appeared in 187 playoff games, tallying 32 goals and 102 assists for 134 points. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals as a member of the Sharks during the 2015-16 season, but the team fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
Thornton is also a four-time All-Star, and won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy in 2005-06 after tallying 29 goals and 96 assists in 81 games for the Bruins and Sharks.
With Thornton and Zdeno Chara now in retirement, Mark Giordano, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Andre Fleury are the oldest active players in the league.