Thornton spoke to Joe Montana before signing with Maple Leafs

"Jumbo Joe" got some help from another Joe who knows all about leaving Northern California after spending most of his career there.

Joe Thornton said he talked to NFL legend Joe Montana before the veteran NHL forward chose to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"Joe gave me some good advice," Thornton told reporters Sunday. "He just talked about leaving San Francisco and going to Kansas City."

The 49ers traded Montana to the Chiefs amid a quarterback controversy in 1993. He played 13 years with San Francisco, guiding the team to four Super Bowl titles. The all-time great suited up for two seasons with Kansas City before retiring in 1995.

Thornton spent nearly 15 of his 22 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, who acquired him from the Boston Bruins in a 2005 trade. Though the Sharks never won a championship, he helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and the Western Conference Final three other times.

The 41-year-old also said Sunday he signed with the Maple Leafs because he believes they're "ready to win now." He inked a one-year contract with Toronto at the league minimum of $700,000.

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