Thornton officially announces retirement, to be honoured by Greyhounds on Saturday

Joe Thornton officially called it a career earlier this week, making the announcement via the San Jose Sharks on X.

The 44-year-old from St. Thomas, Ont. played in 1,714 NHL regular season games and an additional 187 playoff contests over 24 seasons, a remarkable career that resulted in over 1,500 regular season points. Thornton was the 2006 recipient of the NHL’s Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophies, and spent time as a member of the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, where he last played in 2021-22.

Thornton, who played for the Soo Greyhounds from 1995-97 and was the first overall pick by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Draft, will be honoured by the Hounds on Saturday prior to their game against the Windsor Spitfires at GFL Memorial Gardens. His #19 banner will be raised to the rafters in the city where “Jumbo’s” major junior career flourished, helping him develop into one of the most prolific players the game has seen in the past 30 years.

 “We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to invite Joe and his family back to the Soo to recognize him for his efforts as a Greyhound but also for his long, storied career in professional hockey,” stated Tim Lukenda, President and Governor of the Soo Greyhounds.

“Joe is one of the most recognizable hockey players in the world and we are extremely proud to welcome him back to honour him as part of the Soo Greyhound family,” Lukenda added. “As we say, ‘Once a Greyhound, always a Greyhound’ and Jumbo was one of the very best to wear the red and white.”

The former OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year is looking forward to the big night on Saturday.

“I love the Soo,” said Thornton. “I always felt loved and welcomed there. It is a blue collar town, I fit in there, I played their style of hockey and I think people liked that.”

For more on Saturday’s celebration of Joe Thornton in Sault Ste. Marie, visit soogreyhounds.com.

🚨 Important Shirtless Jumbo Message 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ZQJxCSr8zm

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 28, 2023