Joe Thornton completed his 22nd NHL season in 2019-20 with the Sharks, and is one of the franchise's most decorated players. But after 15 seasons in San Jose, Thornton agreed to a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, as he hopes to finally be part of a Stanley Cup-winning team.
By going to the Maple Leafs, Thornton did dramatically increase his chances of winning the Cup next season, as Toronto has the fifth-best odds (+1400) of capturing a title in 2020-21. (Odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
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The Sharks, meanwhile, are on the other end of the spectrum, with only five NHL teams getting worse odds at winning the Cup next season.
Thornton expressed some frustration at February's trade deadline about not being given a chance at a playoff run in 2019-20, but both he and Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said that did not factor into the veteran's decision to depart this offseason.
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The Maple Leafs were one of the 24 teams invited to the NHL's playoff bubble, but didn't advance past the qualifying round. San Jose finished with just 63 points, good for last place in the Pacific Division, and was not among the teams invited.
San Jose Sharks
Wilson remains confident the Sharks can return to contention with a healthy roster, but Thornton believes he'll have a much better chance at a championship in Toronto.
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