Sharks hire Joe Thornton as player development coach, hockey operations advisor

The man with the big beard is back in the game.

On Tuesday, San Jose Sharks general manager announced that the team has hired former NHLer Joe Thornton as a player development coach and hockey operations advisor.

Thornton, soon to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, is synonymous with the California-based franchise. After shockingly being traded to the Sharks by the Boston Bruins early in the 2005-06 season, the St. Thomas, Ontario native became arguably the greatest player in the organization’s history.

Along with establishing himself as one of the best players in the NHL, Thornton played a significant role in the Sharks’ success in the late 2000s and 2010s. San Jose made it to the Western Conference Final four times, including its first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.

In his 15 seasons wearing the teal and black, Thornton set the franchise record for assists in a career with 804. He ranks second behind former teammate Patrick Marleau in points by a Shark with 1,055. “Jumbo” Joe is also third in games played (1,104) and fourth in goals (251) as a member of the team.

In his new role, Thornton will get the chance to work with the Sharks’ prospects. The six-time NHL All-Star has a little bit of experience in that already, as star forward Macklin Celebrini has been living with the Thorntons during his first year in the league.

The Sharks announced a few other moves within its Hockey Ops. Charlie Townsend has been promoted to Director of Hockey Operations after working for the past two seasons as Director of Hockey Projects and Analytics. Dylan Finan is now the scouting coordinator for the department, while former NHL player Thomas Vanek is a hockey operations advisor, having previously worked with the Sharks as a scout.