Thornton expects ‘some tears’ on Saturday
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media
How does he expect to react on Saturday?
Well, when it comes to matters in his immediate future, one of the greatest players in NHL history chose to first dip into his storied past.
“I couldn’t have gone to a better place to play hockey,” Joe Thornton said on Wednesday, as he looked ahead to Saturday’s Soo Greyhounds jersey retirement ceremony at GFL Memorial Gardens.
The event precedes the Soo’s 7:07 p.m. clash with the Windsor Spitfires.
“There were so many families in the Sault who took such good care of me,” continued Thornton, when reached at his home in San Jose. “The city was awesome, the old building there (Memorial Gardens) was awesome and we had a great group of boys on the team. I absolutely loved it there.”
All of which led the recently-retired, six-foot-four, 44-year-old centre to offer a best guess as to what he’ll feel, as he watches his No. 19 slowly raised to the rafters.
“Well, you know there are going to be some tears coming from my end,” said Thornton, a native of St. Thomas, Ont., about to became the sixth former Hounds player so honoured. “Back when I started there in 1995, to think this could even be possible, I mean, it just doesn’t happen to players.”
And so the reality of what awaits a man who played 24 NHL seasons, and stands 12th among all NHL point-producers with a 430-1,109-1,539 stat line, becomes clearer.
“To be up there with a lot of hockey’s royalty will be very, very special for me,” said Thornton, who joins the likes of immortalized former Hounds Wayne Gretzky (No. 99), Ron Francis (No.10), Craig Hartsburg (No. 4), Adam Foote (No. 2) and John Vanbiesbrouck (No. 1). “Guys like Vanbiesbrouck and Ronnie and Wayne, you see and hear about those guys. You dream that’s going to be you. But you think ‘That’s not going to be me.’”
For that reason, Thornton said: “I don’t take this lightly. There’s only five other guys up there. This is a big, big deal.”
The longtime NHL centre, winner of both the Art Ross Trophy (league’s leading scorer) and Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) in 2005-2006, will be joined for the ceremony by wife Tabea, the couple’s 13-year-old daughter Ayla, their 10-year-old son, River, and Joe’s parents, Wayne and Mary Thornton.
Thinking back to how supportive his parents were, after their son was taken by the Soo No. 2 overall in the 1995 OHL draft, Thornton spoke of how the family “has a lot of good memories in the Sault. Those were good times and really a lot of fun.”
Daniel Tkaczuk was selected first by Barrie that year, while Nick Boynton was chosen third by the Ottawa 67s.
“It was just a different animal up there,” Thornton added. “It was the first time in my life when I realized this is what I was meant to do. I was meant to play hockey.”
After an impressive first season (30-46-76), Thornton was named both OHL and Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year.
The Greyhounds wound up getting swept by Sarnia in four straight in the West Division quarter-finals.
“To live away from home, everything was different, exciting. What’s the next step for me?” he added. “There was so much excitement with playing hockey in Sault Ste. Marie.”
Thornton was asked about the natural insecurity a young man feels while living away from home for the first time.
He spoke of wondering whether he could really succeed playing at this level as a 16-year-old.
“There’s a lot going through a boy’s mind,” he added. “Sure there was a lot of doubt, and rightfully so. It was nice to feel loved up there.”
Thornton exploded in Season No. 2 (41-81-122), finishing second to Oshawa’s Marc Savard (43-87-130) in the scoring race. He also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Switzerland.
The Greyhounds wound up making it to the league quarters, only to lose in six games to Guelph.
That spring, the Boston Bruins took Thornton first overall in the NHL Entry Draft.
And despite having played just two OHL seasons, and fracturing an arm during pre-season action, he made the Bruins roster as a gangly, 18-year-old.
After some expected growing pains, the rest is history.
Thornton spoke of how he’s been in contact with a number of his former Hounds teammates over the years, especially Sault native Rico Fata and former linemate Joe Seroski.
The Hamilton native benefitted greatly from Thornton’s deft passing, scoring 54 times during the 1996-97 season.
“I loved the amount of snow up there,” he mused. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what it was. In St. Thomas, we got plenty of snow. But up there, is just a different animal, and I loved it.”
Thornton recalls an incident during one of his final NHL seasons when he noticed former teammate Peter Cava and Cava’s son sitting near the glass. The son held up a sign that read: My dad used to play with No. 19.
Throughout his NHL days with the Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, Thornton talked of how he met “fantastic people” through the sport.
He’s built relationships that will last a lifetime.
Thornton also spoke of how he didn’t take a single day of life as a pro hockey player for granted.
“I enjoyed every single day playing hockey – that’s all I ever wanted to do,” he began. “And wow, you mean I can do it for a living and do it for a long time? Where do I sign up? I tried to give 100 per cent every single day, it was an honour to play for so long and I do know just how lucky I really am.”
One thing Thornton didn’t do was skate on a Stanley Cup champion.
Is that his biggest regret?
“I don’t even know what the word regret means,” he answered. “I don’t know what that is. I’ve never had one of those before.”
Following Saturday’s 7:07 p.m. start, the Hounds also entertain the Spits on Sunday at 2:07 p.m.
