Sharks' Thornton: Being traded to a contender is tempting

With the San Jose Sharks poised to miss the playoffs for just the second time in his 15-year tenure with the club, forward Joe Thornton said going after a Stanley Cup with another team is a tempting thought with the trade deadline approaching.

"You know, it is," Thornton told The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. "But it's not like I feel this is my last year. I feel like I'm healthy, I feel like I still have a lot in the tank left. It's not like a last-hurrah-type thing. I feel good, and my mind feels great. It's not like 'Oh, this is going to be my last shot at it.' So that's where my mind is at right now."

Securing a Stanley Cup ring is the only accomplishment Thornton is missing during his Hall of Fame career.

The 40-year-old ranks 14th on the all-time points list at 1,503, and he's earned a Hart Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy, and an Olympic gold medal. This season, he's notched 25 points in 60 games for a Sharks team that's constantly dealt with injuries to key players.

Thornton has signed one-year deals to remain with San Jose in each of the past three offseasons, and even if he was moved before Monday's deadline, the veteran would be open to coming back to the Bay Area again for the 2020-21 campaign.

"There's lots of possibilities," Thornton said. "That could be an option. There's lots to play with. It is what it is, and we'll see what happens. I'm a Shark now, and I love being a Shark."

Thornton was traded to San Jose from the Boston Bruins during the 2005-06 season, and he's posted 1,049 points in 1,094 games with the organization since then.

Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.