Sharks to retire Thornton's No. 19 next season
Published
Joe Thornton's jersey is set for the rafters at the SAP Center.
The San Jose Sharks announced Wednesday that Thornton's No. 19 sweater would be retired at some point during the 2024-2025 season.
It will be the second jersey retirement in franchise history following the enshrinement of Patrick Marleau's No. 12 last March.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to play in the National Hockey League for 24 seasons,” Thornton said in a statement. “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."
A native of London, Ont., Thornton played 15 of his 24 NHL seasons with the Sharks from 2005 to 2019. He appeared in 1,104 games for the team, scoring 161 goals and adding 631 assists.
The 2006 Hart Trophy Award winner appeared in 1,714 career NHL games, also suiting up for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. For his career, Thornton tallied 430 goals and 1,109 assists. His 1,539 points are 13th most in NHL history.
Internationally, Thornton represented Canada on multiple occasions, winning gold medals at the 1997 World Junior Hockey Championships, the 2004 and 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.