Joe Thornton skates on Sharks' fourth line, Twitter responds accordingly

Joe Thornton skated on the Sharks' fourth line and Twitter had a field day.

It's the preseason for everybody. Even the internet.

We were reminded of that on Friday afternoon when Sharks beat writer David Pollak passed along the team's line combinations from the day's pre-game skate. One of those combos featured the team's beleaguered former captain Joe Thornton slotted between Andrew Desjardins and Mike Brown. Eye catching? Sure, but the information was immediately followed by this qualification: "That last group in orange likely sitting tonite for #SJSharks."

Now, if a player who finished second in the league last season with 65 assists last season was saddled with a pair of plumbers for a regular season game, that would be worthy of some lively online discourse. But Pollak made it clear this was a unit that likely would not be used in the game.

Didn't matter. Social media went bonkers, digging its teeth into Pollak's "story" and giving it a good shake. Guess you can rage about Ebola and jailed reality stars so much ...

Joe Thornton is San Jose's free U2 album

— Karl Havoc (@GMarshall3) October 3, 2014

The San Jose Sharks treatment of Joe Thornton is classless. Insulting him in every way possible to try and get him to waive NTC. Shame.

— Ryan Allën (@RyanHockey16) October 3, 2014

A Toilet Brush -Joe Thornton-An Old Sponge is a line that is really going to do some damage to SAP Center bathrooms this year.

— Roberto (@BlobertP) October 3, 2014

GIF: Joe Thornton looking at today's lines http://t.co/U1by1PEwDF

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 3, 2014

So, so good. Welcome back, hockey!