Time To Be An Un-Ordinary Joe

April 27, 2009   ·   Brian Sanborn   ·   Jump to comments

From the moment Joe Thornton was selected 1st overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, the expectations for greatness were there. After all,  just watching Thornton play during his days with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, nobody could be blamed for putting this expectation on Thornton’s shoulders.

Thornton had it all: Size, vision on the ice, great hands, and a scoring touch.  But during his days as a Boston Bruin, Thornton only amassed 100 points once in 8 seasons in Beantown, and then he was traded to the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster trade.

One would think Thornton going to the Left Coast would allow him to relax, be the player he can be, and take the pressure off to deliver. Hardly. The Sharks have been considered a major contender in the Western Conference since his arrival, and during the regular season Thornton has been a monster during the regular season.

But the results for the Sharks have been underwhelming in the playoffs, and being that the Sharks won the President’s Trophy this year with the most points in the NHL, that pressure to deliver for San Jose has increased.  And yet, the Sharks have fallen flat on their face again in the 2008-2009 NHL Playoffs, and once again and the pressure is mounting again.

The Sharks face a must-win against tonight at the Honda Center against the 8th seeded Anaheim Ducks tonight.  Why is Joe Thornton looked at the scapegoat more times then not for the Sharks woes in the Spring? Sometimes the reasons are not entirely his fault, but it is the way Thornton seems to play in the playoffs that to me, gives the reasons why so many Sharks fans point to Thornton when the team disappoints.

So far Thornton has 1 G and 4 assists in 5 games against the Ducks. While one might say: ‘Joe is scoring a point a game, what is the problem?, this is what happens when your team is picked to win the Stanley Cup almost every year now for the last 3-4 seasons by quite a few experts.

Thornton needs to get down and dirty tonight: Show the emotion, do the little things to win, take the team on your back tonight and win a must game and bring this series back to San Jose. Tonight is not about the stats, looking pretty and getting 2 assists, it is about winning. End of story.

When you look at the San Jose Sharks tonight, take notice: If they do not get past this series tonight, and lose in the 1st round as a President’s Trophy winner, this might be the last time you see this team as constructed.

It is time for Joe to be un-ordinary.  And the hockey universe will be watching.