I've been watching the Sharks since 2007 and last season was the most dominant I have ever seen Thornton. You have to consider the era, because Thornton was the second top scoring center last year and that's despite playing through November with a concussion that really made him ineffective.
He carried the Sharks through three rounds. He faltered in the Final, sure. But part of that is Hertl getting hurt (Hertl is ridiculously good) and Pavelski going stone cold. But to blame Thornton for the Finals is insane.
Every year for what feels like the past five years, people get off telling us that Thornton is old, finished, that he "won't fetch a premium price".
If Thornton is a prune, the rest of the league must be truly garbage, because Thornton dominated it last year at age 37. Iginla was finished at age 34, or however old he was when the Flames moved it.
The Sharks with Thornton are an elite team. The Sharks without Thornton are merely above average. I would need Fiala + 2nd or Fabbro + 1st to even think about moving him. He's an elite player right now and he will be the next Jagr, in terms of elite play at 40+ year old.
