Make no mistake, Joe Thornton's playmaking made him a Hall of Famer

"Longtime San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture had a message for anyone new to the team who was put on the same forward line as Joe Thornton. Just keep your stick on the ice and go to the net, and Jumbo will find you, Couture said. I was one of those guys who was very fortunate to score a bunch of goals and be on the receiving end of just some unbelievable passes from that guy."

"Mention Thornton's name to anyone who has spent time around him, and a smile will usually come across their face, with almost everyone having an anecdote to share. But the reason why Thornton, who spent 15 seasons with the Sharks from 2005 to 2020, will be officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday is not because of his larger-than-life personality. It's because he was one of the game's all-time great playmakers who also left an unforgettable mark on the Sharks franchise."

"Three years after he played his final game in a 24-year NHL career, Thornton, nicknamed Jumbo, remains sixth all-time in games played (1,714) and 14th in points (1,539). But most impressive was his ability to pass the puck, as he remains seventh all-time with 1,109 assists, including 1,055 with the Sharks. Months after he was acquired by San Jose from the Boston Bruins on Nov. 30, 2005, in a franchise-altering trade, Thornton was voted the winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the player adjudged to be most valuable to his team."

Joe Thornton, nicknamed Jumbo, spent 15 seasons with the San Jose Sharks from 2005 to 2020 and finished a 24-year NHL career ranked sixth in games played (1,714) and 14th in points (1,539). Thornton totaled 1,109 career assists, including 1,055 with the Sharks, ranking him seventh all-time in assists. Acquired from the Boston Bruins on Nov. 30, 2005, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy months later. Thornton helped the Sharks reach the playoffs 13 times in 15 years, the Western Conference finals four times and the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. He recorded 134 postseason points and won Olympic gold with Canada in 2010.

Read at www.mercurynews.com