Where Will Thornton Land?

With a free-agent class this sparse, the expansion draft and the transactions it will force are certain to steal much of the thunder from Free Agent “Frenzy”. That said, there are quite a few names, who while not dazzling, could be invaluable additions to a cup-contending team. One of the names that has often been overlooked thus far is the masterful playmaker Joe Thornton. Only a year removed from a Stanley Cup Final, the San Jose Sharks now will need to make a decision on their two long-time leaders in Patrick Marleau and Thornton. For all the flack the forwards have gotten over the years for leadership issues, including both being stripped of the captaincy, they have been remarkably consistent assets to their franchise.

Marleau looks the more likely of the two to stay put. The 37 year-old did net 27 goals this past season, good for 3rd on the team behind only Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. With him being only one of three forwards to net more than 11 goals last year, his loss of production could be devastating. Unless Marleau wants to chase a championship elsewhere, he seems a good lock to stay. He will certainly be expected to take a paycut from his $6.66 MM, as would Thornton ($6.7 MM) if he decided to stay. Thornton, on the other hand, could get quite expensive, and negotiations could be considerably more complicated.

Proven, top-nine capable centers are at the top of many teams’ wanted lists. Most teams in the league wouldn’t be averse to taking Jumbo Joe on a sweet deal, so you could even expect a cap-crunched squad like Chicago or Pittsburgh to make a call if he truly is looking for a championship. Toronto would certainly be willing to take a risk on the aging player, and Edmonton would love his veteran presence. Anaheim and St. Louis would both love his talents as a third-line pivot and are both conceivably just a piece away. Montreal looks to be headed in the direction of youth up front, but they’ve been looking for a strong presence up the middle for years. There is no shortage of landing spots for Thornton if he would decide to test the market, and this interest could easily drive his price up.

Ultimately, however, it’s hard to see Thornton leaving Northern California, especially to a conference rival. He has stated his desire to return to the team, saying “I’d love to come back….but we’ll have to see.” It could turn into a drawn-out process, depending on how hard other teams make strong pitches for him. He is 38 years-old and scored just 7 goals last season, so age is an element that will enter the calculus in a new deal. But when the next best available centers are Martin Hanzal and Nick Bonino, the competition for his services could get fierce. As of yet, no contract negotiations have reportedly begun for either Marleau or Thornton.