NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman on Joe Thornton and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
** NHLrumors.com transcription **
“Mike, the pursuit is on. The recruitment drive is on. I believe members of the Maple Leafs organization, the general manager Kyle Dubas, the head coach Sheldon Keefe, and some members of the core group have already reached out and told they want him to join them in Toronto.
I believe a couple of the guys who have spoken to him, I think Auston Matthews has, I think Jake Muzzin has, and I think it’s also possible that captain John Tavares has. So they have reached out to him and told him they want him to join.
Now the San Jose Sharks also want him to come back, and I’ve been told, do not underestimate Thornton’s loyalty to the Sharks. And another thing that was presented to me today, and I don’t know if this is going to be a factor, but someone told me don’t be surprised if it is. He’s got a long history with Patrick Marleau. Marleau just signed with the Sharks, he could break Gordie Howe’s record next year. Does Thornton want to be a part of that?”
Where Thornton would fit with the Maple Leafs and what makes him so attractive for the Leafs.
NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman on NHL Network on Thornton and the Maple Leafs.
** NHLrumors.com transcription **
“A couple of things, number one, he’s a really smart, intelligent player still. He’s committed to the game Jamie. He’s a guy who is in his 40’s and is still playing at a pretty high level, and I think that committment, they want their players to see it.
I think he can still be a help on the number two power play. Toronto would love that. He can still play an offensive role at key times. Toronto would like that. But I think the other thing they just want is, it’s a guy whose seen everything, a guy who still loves playing the game, and I think you want your young players to be exposed to that too. So I think that is a key as much as anything else.”
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Ray Ferraro on TSN 1050 on the impact that Joe Thornton could have if the Maple Leafs are able to sign him.
“We don’t know what their locker room is like, but your room is a lot noisier and a lot more energetic with those guys (Simmonds, Bogosian, Thornton) in it. Talk to anyone in San Jose who has played with Joe over the last 15 years and there are a million stories about how he enlivens the dressing room. It is just his personality is infectious to be around. I see that, but I don’t know.. Are you going to play a lineup with Matthews, Tavares, Thornton and Spezza in it? Does it seem workable? I don’t know that it does.
Your third and fourth spots . Spezza played more and better as the season went on, but are you looking for 12 minutes each from those guys? They kind of do the same thing, don’t they? They could be on your second power play. They are not going to be fiendish checkers. They are both good on the draw — one is a lefty, one is a righty.
If he is on the fourth line, what do you have Spezza there for? If they are going to play Spezza and Joe together on the fourth line, they should sign Paul Henderson to play with them.”