In just about two weeks the anniversary of the blockbuster trade that brought the then Boston Bruin Joe Thornton to San Jose will pass us by.
It will mark the fourth full year in which Thornton has been a member of team teal. Now despite his knack for staying healthy, (hasn't missed a game as a Shark) Thornton suffering an injury has been what the San Jose faithful have dreaded for the majority of those four years.
Prior to this season, it was quite common to hear fans in the Bay Area claim "the Sharks are good but they are screwed if Thornton gets hurt."
And those fans spoke the truth. If the seemingly unbreakable Joe Thornton were to have suffered a lengthy injury, San Jose would have been a playoff bubble team at best.
However, you won't hear a single Sharks fan making that claim this season. Losing Joe Thornton would be a significant loss if the former Hart Trophy winner went down with injury, but it wouldn't be catastrophic.
In fact, even without "Jumbo Joe," the Sharks probably end up fighting for a top-five playoff spot in the West.
The Sharks finally have a well-rounded team that can easily adapt on the ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Andy Bensch
Why the San Jose Sharks Are Finally More Than Just Joe Thornton
November 15th, 2009 by Andy Bensch Leave a reply »
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