Though Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets didn't help the San Jose Sharks' cause in the NHL's Pacific Division title chase, the contest marked team captain Joe Thornton's 1,200th NHL regular-season appearance, per the Sharks' official site.
Including Thornton, 99 skaters and one goalie (Martin Brodeur) have hit the 1,200-game milestone. Thornton's NHL journey began when the Boston Bruins made him the first overall selection in the 1997 entry draft. Though Thornton recorded just seven points in 55 games as a rookie in 1997-98, he has since developed into one of the league's premier playmakers, thanks to his excellent blend of size, smarts and skill.
Acquired by the Sharks on Nov. 30, 2005 in a lopsided trade that sent Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart to the Bruins, Thornton has now played in 668 games with San Jose, recording 735 points in the process.
To date, the 6′4″, 220-pound center is just shy of a point-per-game clip for his career, having notched 1,189 points overall. Among active players, only Jaromir Jagr (1,748) and Teemu Selanne (1,454) top Thornton in that category. In the assist department, Thornton&m ...
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Sharks’ Joe Thornton Plays in His 1,200th Career NHL Game
March 28th, 2014 by Bleacher Report Milestones Leave a reply »
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