Joe Thornton to be honoured by San Jose Sharks next season

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Cooper Godin
January 29, 2024 (8:09 PM)

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Joe Thornton to be honoured by the San Jose Sharks next season in touching tribute to the amount of time he spent with the organization.

A San Jose Sharks legend will see his number raised to the rafters at the SAP Center during the 2024-25 season.

On Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks announced that they will be retiring Joe Thornton's number 19 during the 2024-25 season, with an official date to be revealed over the summer after the schedule is released.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to play in the National Hockey League for 24 seasons," said Thornton. "But when I came to San Jose, it felt like I was truly home. I fell in love with the area and the people, and I had the best years of my career wearing the Sharks crest. I want to thank Hasso Plattner, the Sharks organization, my teammates, our fans and especially my family for all their support over my career. I am humbled by this recognition, which is a reflection of all of those great teams we had in San Jose during my time there."

The 44-year-old was traded to San Jose by the Boston Bruins early in the 2005-06 season and he went on to leave a lasting impression on the Sharks organization.

In 1,104 career games with San Jose over parts of 15 seasons, the St. Thomas, Ontario native had 1,055 points (251 goals, 804 assists), 631 penalty minutes and was a plus-161.

Thornton joins Patrick Marleau as the only players in San Jose Sharks franchise history to have their number retired. Marleau saw his number 12 raised to the rafters in San Jose in early 2023.

This is an incredible honour for Joe Thornton and one of many he'll be receiving in the coming years. Do you think Thornton will be a first ballot Hall of Famer? Let us know your thoughts in the poll below!