Joe Thornton a witness to NHL history — and help to youth

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Postmedia continues its annual look at the new Hockey Hall of Fame class as the Nov. 10 induction night approaches with center Joe Thornton.

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EXPLANATION OF THE CALL TO THE HALL

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Six players and two builders were nominated this year, each receiving 75% of the vote or higher from the 18-member selection committee in a secret ballot. A maximum of six players (four men and two women) and two builders may be selected unless someone from the referee/lines category is named.

WHY JOE V

Thornton owns Olympic gold with Canada in 2010, winning the World Championship twice within 12 years of each other, which is the icing on the cake for the St. Thomas, Ont., native, who has compiled many impressive NHL records. He stays 14th in NHL points with 1,539 pointsseventh in assists with 1,109 assists (both in 1,714 games), which ranks him sixth. He is the most recent Hart Trophy winner, playing for various teams, moving from Boston to San Jose in 2005-06 and leading the league in scoring that year.

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IN YOUR OWN WORDS

“Jumbo Joe” was rarely at a loss for words Saturday as people began discussing his longevity statistics – the last active NHL player since the 1990s, the last to compete with or against Wayne Gretzky (going back to Gordie Howe in 1945-46) and last to score at Maple Leaf Gardens.

“Playing against the guys you grew up watching was incredible,” Thornton said on media day in the Great Hall, where his bearded portrait will soon be displayed.

When he first called Hall in June, Thornton was also confused, made more difficult by the fact that he was at the center of an airport security search in Arizona.

“My phone goes off, I see it’s Toronto, my luggage is in secondary (baggage check), but I’m like, ‘Screw it, I’m talking to (hall chairman Lanny McDonald). I started crying and the airport staff were wondering, what's wrong with this guy?”

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Now Thornton is a touchstone himself, allowing the young Sharks to stay with his family and, in his short time in Toronto, taking Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner under his wing before retiring to San Jose, where he looked after McLean Celebrini and Will Smith.

“I had great mentors like Johnny Busiek,” Thornton said of the “Original Six Bruins” who eased his path as the first overall pick in 1997.

Thornton did not win a Stanley Cup, although he and fellow 2025 inductee Duncan Keith were part of the great Canadian Olympic teams before the best-for-best game was postponed.

“Joe was older than me, but he helped the young guys feel comfortable in the sports village,” recalled Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Keith. “He was such a personable guy. You appreciate his size, skill and how strong he is with the puck. Finding his teammates, making them better players all around.”

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Keith met Thornton when several older NHL players decided to spend their summer skating.

“We were on a small rink and we were just mesmerized by these guys who were three or four years older than me. And then 10 years later I had the opportunity to play with him and against him… I knew how good of a player he was, but it wasn't until I played with him in the Olympics that you realized what a great teammate he was, how he made me feel like a young player.”

“I was a little intimidated being around guys I idolized like Scott Neidermeyer and Chris Pronger, but Joe definitely did his best to make the players feel welcome. I think that helped me play better.”

During the COVID shutdown and in a city where the Leafs always have high expectations, Thornton's parental influence was welcomed.

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“He was relaxed, but he really wanted to win,” forward William Nylander said. “He was still very competitive and it was great to have a guy like that.”

In subsequent years, Thornton received as much press attention for his wit and sideburns as he did for numerous records.

He and San Jose teammate Brent Burns stopped shaving during the Sharks' long 2016 playoff run, right before that year's World Cup. Thornton called it his “lifestyle beard.” ESPN Magazinephotographed the duo naked in a Body Issue photo spread.their facial hair was strategically placed as they battled on the hockey rink. Several opponents, most notably current Calgary Flame Nazem Kadri, pulled out several of Thornton's mustaches during the fight.

In 2006, Thornton became the first and only player traded during the season to win a Hart title, scoring 33 points in 23 games for Boston, 92 in 58 for the Sharks (replaced by Marco Sturm, Brad Stewart and Wayne Primeau).

“Within an hour (after the deal), I thought, 'Holy crap,'” Thornton said. “After that I thought, 'I'm going to play hockey on the West Coast, that's good, isn't it?'

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