Joe Thornton News

Thornton (shoulder) will not play on Monday vs. the Jets.

Thornton will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury, but the Sharks are hopeful that he will be able to return at some point during their three-game road-trip. That would leave him to return either Tuesday in Minnesota or Thursday in St. Louis. Monitor his status as the week progresses.

Joe Thornton
Thornton (shoulder) will not play on Saturday.

Thornton left Wednesday’s game in the first period after suffering a shoulder injury. He practiced on Friday, but will not play tonight vs. the Blues. Missing tonight’s game snaps Thornton’s ironman street of 319 consecutive games. Thornton had been hot as of late, registering two goals and nine assists (11 points) in his last nine games.

Joe Thornton
Thornton (shoulder) is not on the ice for the morning skate; not expected to play Saturday.

Despite coach McClellan calling Thornton probable after practice on Friday, it does not look like Thornton will play because he is not on the ice for the game day skate. It does not guarantee he won’t play, but it is not a good sign. Expect an update after the skate.

Joe Thornton
Thornton missed practice this morning to get his teeth repaired, will play on Thursday.

Thornton was clipped by a puck in warmups yesterday and had to go to the dentist to get some repairs done this morning. Thornton has three assists in three games and should be active in fantasy formats tomorrow vs. the Islanders.

Joe Thornton
The Sharks have signed Joe Thornton to a three-year contract extension with an annual cap-hit of $6.75 million US.

Thornton currently leads the NHL with 47 assists to go along with six goals (53 points) in 51 games. Thornton is in his seventh season with the Sharks, he has totalled 1171 points (337G / 834A) in 1175 career NHL games with the Sharks and the Bruins.

Joe Thornton
Thornton (eye) will play tonight.

Thornton took a puck to the face on Saturday and needed stitches to repair the damage. After being stitched up, he returned to play 17:39 (averages 18:40) recording an assist in the Sharks shootout win. He will be in the lineup tonight to take on the Leafs, so get him in your lineup because he is second in the league with assists (25) and tied for eighth in points (29).

Joe Thornton
No doubt at all Thornton will be in the lineup, but questions remain as to how effective he will be despite the Sharks’ captain’s insistence that there are no limitations as to what he can do about taking a shoulder-to-shoulder hit from Vancouver forward Raffi Torres midway through the third period of Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Cancucks. If Thornton is taking key faceoffs tonight, for example, at least one of those questions will be answered.

Joe Thornton