Thornton signs one-year, $700,000 contract with Maple Leafs

Joe Thornton
signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

The 41-year-old center scored 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 70 games with the San Jose Sharks last season, his 15th with them. Though Thornton said Sunday that Sharks general manager Doug Wilson wanted him to remain in San Jose, the window the Maple Leafs have for him to win the Stanley Cup for the first time and moving his children closer to his parents went into the decision to continue his NHL career in Toronto.
"It was probably the hardest hockey decision I've ever had to make, but I truly believe Toronto, with the roster they have with the guys they picked up this offseason, I think this team is ready to win now," Thornton said. "I'm ready to win. I'm just excited. I'm coming to be a Maple Leaf.
"My parents are right there about an hour away or 40 minutes away. But, really, it's because of the hockey team, honestly. This team is as very, very good team. I didn't win a Stanley Cup and I think this is a great team that can do that. There's a couple of things that helped along the way, but I really, really like this team. I love the organization. It was a little bit family but mostly hockey."
Thornton announced Thursday that he was joining HC Davos of the Swiss National League, where he will play and prepare for the 2020-21 NHL season, which is targeted to begin Jan. 1, 2021. He had an assist on the first goal in a 9-2 win against Rapperswil-Jona on Saturday.
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Acquired in a trade from the Boston Bruins on Nov. 30, 2005, Thornton is the Sharks leader in assists (804), second in games (1,104) and points (1,055), and fourth in goals (251).
"I think he's a good fit in terms of the skill set that has made him into one of the best players of his generation and still allows him to be successful and effective player," Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said. "He still shows the ability to drive play, even at this stage of his career."
The Maple Leafs also signed forward Wayne Simmonds and defensemen TJ Brodie and Zach Bogosian this offseason. Dubas said he hopes the experience provided by the four players whose average age is 33 will help the Maple Leafs get past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004. Toronto lost the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers in five games to the Columbus Blue Jackets after it was eliminated from the first round the previous three seasons.
"It was something that we really keyed in on this year as needing to do, to continue to boost our group and add a little bit of experience and more personality to the group," Dubas said. "We haven't reached anywhere near the goals that we aspire to yet, but we think he can be a big help both on the ice and off it."
Thornton said as recently as Thursday that a return to the Sharks was possible.
"I guess it's fair to say that I'm still kind of numb about it," San Jose captain Logan Couture told The Athletic on Friday. "At the same time, it's his choice, and everyone in this organization respects him for everything that he's done for all of us players. ... He's meant so much for my career."
On Tuesday, forward Patrick Marleau signed a one-year contract to return to the Sharks and said he was hopeful Thornton would re-sign so they could be teammates again.
Marleau played the two seasons prior to last season for the Maple Leafs and told Sportsnet 590 The Fan that he and Thornton discussed signing with Toronto together at that time.
"He does put in the work, he does keep himself in great shape, and I think one thing that's always a constant in his game is the size and reach (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), the way he can protect pucks and obviously his vision, and none of that has changed over his career," Marleau told the "Good Show" on Friday. "He still knows where guys are on the ice. He knows where guys are going, and that allows him to still be one of the better players on the ice."
Selected by Boston with the No. 1 pick of the 1997 NHL Draft, Thornton has scored 1,509 points (420 goals, 1,089 assists) in 1,636 games during 22 seasons with the Sharks and Bruins. He has scored 133 points (31 goals, 102 assists) in 179 NHL playoff games.
Thornton is the leader among active NHL players in points and assists. He is seventh in assists, ninth in games and 14th in points in NHL history.
"The friendships I accumulated over those years, they'll be friendships forever, they're long-lasting friendships," Thornton said. "With the staff [Wilson has] created [in San Jose] with the equipment guys, the medical side, just some really, really strong bonds that made it. They truly made it a place to come and work every day and made it enjoyable for myself. It's a special place to play hockey, that's for sure."
An 11-time 20-goal scorer, Thornton won the Hart Trophy voted as NHL most valuable player in 2005-06, when he led the NHL with 125 points (29 goals, 96 assists) with the Sharks and Bruins.
"Going to miss the big guy ...," San Jose defenseman Brent Burns told The Athletic. "Learned a lot from him, and just going to miss his presence. He's one of a kind, and not anyone else like him. ... Tough to see him go, but happy for him going back home near his family (Thornton is from London, Ontario). I know how much they will all love that."
NHL.com staff writer Jon Lane contributed to this report