Joe Thornton Biography

Birthdate: April 4, 1979
Birthplace: London, Canada

This superstar for the San Jose Shark has the skills to do basically anything he wants on the ice. Get the low down on Jumbo Joe!

Childhood

Joe Thornton grew up in London, Ontario, idolizing hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. His parents would drive young Joe to nearby Toronto to watch Gretzky whenever he was in town to play. Joe would emulate Gretzky's moves and mannerisims on the ice. Joe also looked up to his cousin Scott who was a local star and was drafted in the NHL. As a teenager, Joe was a standout hockey player who was dominating the junior hockey leagues. Joe played for Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL in 1996-97 and logged in 41 goals and 81 assists. Following that season, the Boston Bruins made Joe the number one overall draft pick in the 1997 NHL Draft.

NHL Career

Joe played his first five seasons in the NHL for the Boston Bruins. His best season came in the 2002-03 season where he got 101 points and was named an NHL All Star. Midway through the 2005-06 season, Joe was traded to the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster four-player deal. Joe immediately made an impact for his new team as he led the league in assists and finished the season with 125 points. He was rewarded with the Hart Memorial Trophy - the NHL's award for the MVP. The following season, Joe racked up 90 assists for the second straight season, becoming only the third player in NHL history to do so.

A Special Player

Joe Thornton is as complete of a player as they come. He was blessed with superb vision and the ability to pass. He can score goals in every possible way - slap-shots, wrist-shots and breakaways. Joe is also ultra competitive and is tough as nails on the ice. His tall and muscular physique makes him a threat on both the offensive and defensive sides. No question, Joe has the potential to go down as one of the best players in the history of the NHL!

Did U Know?

Joe Thornton is 6'4" tall and weighs 235 pounds.

Joe Thornton is a south paw, he holds the stick left-handed.

Joe Thornton's nickname is Jumbo Joe.

Joe Thornton played in the Swiss Hockey League during the 2004-05 season because of the NHL lockout.

Joe Thornton wears the number 19 on his jersey.

Joe Thornton signed a three-year, $21.6 million extension with the Sharks in the summer of 2007.

Joe Thornton represented Canada in the 2006 Olympic Games.

Joe Thornton Says...

"Confidence is huge. You don't realize how big confidence is until you lose it. It is a big part of this game, and if you have a lot of confidence, you feel like you can do anything out there on the ice. It's huge."

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