Thornton not retiring, expects to stay with Sharks

Just a few weeks from his 40th birthday, Joe Thornton doesn't appear to be considering retirement anytime soon. "I'll probably play another 10 years," the San Jose Sharks forward joked Tuesday evening at NHL Awards media day. "We'll wait and see, but I'm thinking 5-10, right now. I got nothing else going on, so we'll see."

Asked if he plans to be back with the Sharks next season, Thornton replied, "Yeah, we'll talk, we'll sit down... figure something out." "My body feels great," he added, "and it's going to be the first time in a long time I don't have to rehab this summer, so I'm excited for that."

Thornton, who turns 40 on July 2, was recovering from a torn MCL this time last year and a torn ACL and MCL after the 2016-17 campaign. This season, he played in 73 regular-season games -- posting 16 goals and 35 assists -- and 19 of 20 playoff games (with one missed due to suspension), contributing four goals and six assists. The Sharks lost to the St. Louis Blues in six games in the Western Conference finals.

Thornton has spent 13-plus years of his 21-year career with the Sharks, after arriving via trade from the Boston Bruins early in the 2005-06 campaign. He ranks second in franchise history in games played (1,034) and points (1,024) behind Patrick Marleau and first in assists (780) and plus/minus (plus-180). He is still seeking his first Stanley Cup, after the Sharks lost in the final in 2016.