When Joe Thornton was traded to the San Jose Sharks, he would join his cousin Scott.
Scott will only have the 05-06 season with his cousin, but he told reporters that he will never forget playing with Jumbo.
“It was a fun time. We did lose three pretty good teammates, too, at the time. So [it was] a little bit mixed emotions there with that going, but a personal side to have Joe come here. It was pretty fantastic,” Scott said.
Ron Wilson was the Sharks’ head coach then, and he immediately put the Thornton cousins on a line. Scott said it wasn’t because he thought there would be good chemistry.
“One of the greatest gifts that Ron Wilson ever gave me was to put me on his line. I knew it was going to be short; Ron told me that,” Thornton said. “He said they’re going to start on Joe’s line because I think everyone’s going to be intimidated to play with him.”
The way Joe turned the city of San Jose into his biggest fan impacted not just the Sharks and Jumbo but also the entire Thornton family.
“It’s amazing. The guy is the biggest kid in the world, right? He still is. [He is] clearly a star player, a Hall of Famer, no question, and this city was unbelievable,” Scott said. “Just before Joe got here, we were building a team that could compete for a Stanley Cup, and we thought he would probably be one of the last pieces for that. The fans here have stuck in it for a long time. There’s been a couple of sniffs at the Stanley Cup here, and unfortunately, coming up a little short. But he was great for the city.”
Scott couldn’t understate how much it means to see No. 19 in the rafters and the Thornton family name in the rafters.
“It’s incredible. I’m super proud of his accomplishments and proud to call him my cousin. Everybody always asks me about him, so I’m always talking about him, and I never get tired of telling stories about Joe,” Scott said. “He’s a character that you don’t see very often in the game. On and off the ice, he’s a big part of a locker room environment in the culture, and then his game on the ice speaks for itself. One of the greatest pastors to ever play the game. [I’m] certainly, very, very honored to be here and be part of it. [I am] Super proud of what he’s done in his career and continues to do. He’s a great father and husband and a good leader for the young guys [today].”
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