“I was truly home,” Joe Thornton reminiscences about skating on ice ‘wearing the Sharks crest’ as team announces to retire No.19 in 2024-25 season

Joe Thornton recalls his ‘Jumbo’ days with the San Jose Sharks as the team announces their decision to retire No.19 in the 2024-25 season.

“I was truly home,” Joe Thornton reminiscences about skating on ice ‘wearing the Sharks crest’ as team announces to retire No.19 in 2024-25 season

Joe Thornton [Image Credit: Imago]

Joe Thornton also lovingly known as ‘Jumbo Joe’ recently recalled his time with the San Jose Sharks. His comments on his career came after the team announced they would like to retire his jersey No.19 in the next season, i.e., 2024-25. The announcement was warmly welcomed by all of his fans who were waiting to celebrate his illustrious career once more.

Last week on Wednesday, the team took to their X account to deliver the ‘JUMBO announcement’ next season. Although dates and time are not yet made official, fans are excited to see No.19 fly high in the rafters at the Shark Tank next to his former teammate Patrick Marleau’s No.12.

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On February 25, 2023, the Sharks honored Marleau for his commitment and contribution to making the team better. With his jersey hanging in the rafters, Thornton will be the 2nd Sharks player whose jersey will fly high. In a team release, Joe Thornton commented,

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...when I came to San Jose, it felt like I was truly home. I fell in love with the area and the people…best years of my career wearing the Sharks crest.
Joe Thornton’s statement on team release.

Lookback at Joe Thornton’s remarkable NHL journey

Following his 1997 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, Joe Thornton headed to the San Jose Sharks in 2005. Although he won numerous accolades during his NHL career, he failed to win a Stanley Cup with the team. Regardless, he reached the finals in the 2015-16 season and even made the Western Conference Finals three times.

Joe Thornton [Image Credit: rta.com.co]
Joe Thornton [Image Credit: rta.com.co]

Along with Thornton, Patrick Marleau became the duo in the Sharks team who played 1,600 games each in 2019 in NHL history. In the team release, Jonathan Becher, the Sharks president stated that Thornton’s arrival in their team “energized an already fervent fan base” for 15 long seasons. 

Sharks fans were treated to watching one of the greatest players in NHL history. He is one of the most beloved players in Sharks history...
Jonathan Becher on team release.

He became one of the game’s top playmakers, having enjoyed 24 seasons on NHL ice. He spent his last year with the Florida Panthers and later made an official declaration of his retirement. He thanked fans for their continuous support and for making “this kid’s dream become reality.”

He played 1,714 regular-season games while recording 1,109 assists and 430 goals. His big and beardy appearance became the face of the San Jose Sharks. He was nicknamed ‘Jumbo Joe’ for his easy-going personality despite his big figure. He’ll forever remain the ‘Jumbo’ Claus for NHL fans and serve as a source of encouragement and hope for young ice hockey stars.

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