Joe Thornton will not return to the Toronto Maple Leafs next season. It’s Because The Florida Panthers Have Decided They’ll Like It. Today we will discuss about Joe Thornton: Trade| Who does play for| Stanley cup wins
Joe Thornton: Trade| Who does play for| Stanley cup wins
Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was selected first overall by the Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and played seven seasons with the club, three as its captain. During the 2005–06 season, he was traded to the 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. Four seasons as captain and one run for the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.
| Born | July 2, 1979 St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Florida Panthers Boston Bruins HC Davos San Jose Sharks Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| National team |  Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 1st overall, 1997 Boston Bruins |
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| Playing career | 1997–present | ||
Trade
2005: In a trade that changed the two franchises, the Boston Bruins sent their captain, center Joe Thornton, to the San Jose Sharks for forwards Marco Sturm and Wayne Primo and defenseman Brad Stuart.
Thornton, the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NHL Draft, is off to a hot start with 33 points in Boston’s first 24 games. But in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, he went without a point in seven games, playing with a broken rib, and the Bruins upset the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. When the Bruins struggled at the start of the 2005–06 season after several players went as free agents, general manager Mike O’Connell felt he needed to take a bigger step to overhaul his team.
Thornton corrected himself, collecting 92 points from 58 games at home in San Jose. He finished the season with a combined 125 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer and the Hart Trophy as MVP. He has remained one of the NHL’s most trusted playwrights for over a decade.
None of the three players acquired by the Bruins made much of an impact, although the cap flexibility created by the trade would later enable Boston to sign players such as defenseman Zdeno Chara.
Who does play for
Star center Joe Thornton has signed a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers for the 24th season of his illustrious career.
Thornton, 42, would earn $750,000 on the deal without any bonuses or incentives.
“I see his team on paper, I saw his team last year, I love his team, and that’s it,” Thornton said. “I love what they’re making, and I’m excited to be a part of it. But it’s all about eventually winning the Stanley Cup, and the Panthers are right there in my opinion.”
Thornton is one of the most productive offensive centers in NHL history. He is ranked 14th on the career points list with 1,529 and is five points away from 12th place overall. He ranks seventh in a career with 1,104 in 1,680 games with the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
He said he watched Florida’s playoff series with Tampa Bay last spring and was impressed by what he saw. Thornton was approached by the Panthers weeks earlier in an attempt to be part of the mix.
“The energy these people bring in every day, they want to work every day, they want to be better every day,” Thornton said. “I’m really looking forward to joining them on the journey.”
Stanley cup wins
Veteran forward Joe Thornton is returning to the NHL for at least one more season. On Friday, the Florida Panthers announced that the team has signed Thornton to a one-year contract.
According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnson, the contract would pay Thornton $750,000.
“With over 1,600 games played in the NHL, that will bring a wealth of experience to our locker rooms and lineup,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a press release. “His drive to be successful is unmistakable and we are thrilled that he chose to sign with our club and he believes in what we are building here in South Florida.”
Thornton is coming off a season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in which he scored five goals and recorded 15 assists. In 23 NHL seasons, Thornton has recorded 1,529 points (425 goals and 1,104 assists) during his time with the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Maple Leafs.
The Bruins selected Thornton with the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft and put together a Hall of Fame career. Thornton has appeared in six All-Star Games, won the Art Ross and Hart Trophy in 2006, and is the Sharks’ all-time assistant leader.
Thornton has never won the Stanley Cup in his 23-year NHL career and will aim to follow up with a Panthers team that finished second in the Central Division last season.
