Joe Thornton Plans to Play Another Season With San Jose Sharks

Thornton, 39, said he thinks he can play five more years.

San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton plans to the play in the NHL for at least one more season.

Thornton, who turns 40 on July 2, will return for his 21st season in the NHL and hopes to remain in San Jose when he's able to discuss a new deal with the team on July 1.

"We'll talk. We'll sit down," Thornton said, according to NHL.com. "I'll sit down with [owner Hasso Plattner] and [coach Peter DeBoer] and [general manager Doug Wilson] and figure something out. My body feels great, and it's going to be the first time in a long time I don't have to rehab in the summer, so I'm excited for that."

Thornton tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in 2017 and tore the MCL in his right knee in 2018, forcing him to spend the last two offseasons recovering from injury. Now healthy in 2019, Thornton believes he could still play another five years.

"We'll wait and see, but I'm thinking 5-10 [seasons] right now," he said. "I got nothing else going on, so we'll see."

Thornton had 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) and averaged 15:33 in ice time in 73 games this season. He ranks eighth in NHL history with 1,065 assists and 14th with 1,478 points (413 goals) in 1,566 games but has yet to win a Stanley Cup.

The Sharks finished the 2018-19 season 46–27–9 before falling to the eventual champion St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Final.