Classy Bruins trade Thornton- Why?

[Woodsy]

seems like a dumb idea to me but I am sure Stump and ice can give me 50 good reasons since I don't follow them daily:

Joe Thornton was the cornerstone of the Boston Bruins for eight years -- until he was abruptly shipped off to the West Coast with a dinnertime phone call.

The San Jose Sharks acquired the power forward Wednesday night, parting with Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau in a trade between two last-place franchises desperate to shake up their dismal seasons.

As a rising superstar, a probable 2006 Canadian Olympian and the face of the Boston franchise for several seasons, Thornton was stunned by the rather graceless end to his tenure with the team that drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in 1997.

General manager Mike O'Connell called Thornton's cell phone after he had just finished dining with his parents in Boston.

"I was blindsided," Thornton said in a conference call. "On the one hand, it's disappointing; and on the other, it's good to start over again. When you don't win, there's going to be changes."

The 26-year-old star signed a three-year, $20 million contract in August with Boston, where he was the club's captain for the last three seasons. Thornton was less than complimentary of O'Connell and coach Mike Sullivan, whose jobs both are rumored to be in jeopardy.

"Obviously (the Bruins) believe in their coach and their general manager, and I'm next in line, so I've got to move on," he said. "I came back here to win, and we haven't been winning. Whose fault is that? I'm not sure, but I'm out of here, so it must be mine."

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Thornton was tied for 11th in the NHL in scoring entering Wednesday's games with nine goals and 24 assists, but Boston has lost nine of its last 10 games. The Sharks, who lost 4-1 to Dallas, are 0-7-3 in their last 10 games during one of the worst stretches in franchise history.

San Jose general manager Doug Wilson said he expects Thornton to be in the lineup Friday in Buffalo, where the Sharks will play the second game of a three-game road trip. Wilson agreed the trade was among the biggest in franchise history, alongside the trade of former captain Owen Nolan to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003.

While O'Connell phoned it in, Wilson flew to Dallas to speak to all three departing players personally.

"Players like Joe Thornton don't come available very often," Wilson said. "When you do a deal of this magnitude, character still has to be the No. 1 thing, and he'll fit right into our group. ... We thought he was almost untouchable. You think about him and you kind of wish, but don't think he'll be available."

Thornton and Patrick Marleau, the Sharks' captain and leading scorer, were the top two picks in 1997. Both joined the league that year as raw 18-year-olds, but eventually emerged as top NHL centers and teammates on several Canadian national teams.

Thornton has scored more than 20 goals in each of his last five NHL seasons, including two 30-goal campaigns. In 2003-04, he led the Bruins with 23 goals and 50 assists.

Sharks forward Scott Thornton is Joe Thornton's cousin. Their fathers are brothers, and they're already delighted by the possibility of making road trips together.

"I obviously know him," Scott Thornton said in Dallas. "He's one of the top 10 players in the league. He's a big, powerful forward. I expect him to be a giant on special teams."


AP - Nov 30, 10:47 pm EST
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Still, Scott Thornton expressed regret in losing Sturm, Primeau and Stuart, who were last-minute scratches from the lineup in Dallas.

"We lost three great teammates," he said. "The bottom line is we're all to blame for this. ... We should all feel guilty about this."

The departing Sharks are expected to play for Boston on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators.

"We felt we needed to shake up the team and sometimes you have to make some difficult decisions to better the team," O'Connell said in a statement. "We feel we received three players who can help us immediately."

All three new Bruins are bona fide NHL talents -- but all three also had flaws that contributed to the Sharks' malaise this season.

Sturm is the Sharks' second-leading scorer with six goals and 10 assists this season, but the speedy German forward still hasn't developed into the topflight goal-scorer most expected him to be. He missed the Sharks' playoff run in 2004 after breaking his leg late in the regular season.

Stuart, who has two goals and 10 assists, finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie following the 1999-00 season. But he has struggled for long stretches this season, prompting public criticism of his passing and physical play by coach Ron Wilson.

Primeau, a gritty fourth-liner, has five goals and three assists this season.

[MacDaddy]

Well all of a sudden SJ might be able to get out of their slump!

Dont be surprised when Svatos gets traded!

I'll be pissed

CHRISTPUNCHER

[stump832]

seems like a dumb idea to me but I am sure Stump and ice can give me 50 good reasons since I don't follow them daily:

Nope - its a terrible deal. Just another notch in the poor managment belt. Bourque, Allison, Guerin...Thornton is just another big-time player to get forced out of town by a front office that has no accountability.

[schindlerpiste]

He makes something like $6.5mil/yr. The three players that the Bruins acquired make a total of about $5mil/year. Also, this year, the three players combined have produced more points than Thornton.

[Woodsy]

Also, this year, the three players combined have produced more points than Thornton.

He has 33 points in 23 games!
jeebus what do you want, dood was hurt for a while and still racked up sick numbers

[stump832]

He makes something like $6.5mil/yr. The three players that the Bruins acquired make a total of about $5mil/year. Also, this year, the three players combined have produced more points than Thornton.

Sweet, so they now have 3 players, who are 75% as expensive, and they still just barely total Thornton's production. Good analysis!

It was a panic move. And a terrible one.

[schindlerpiste]

This may be. I am only stating fact. You asked why. This morning, I heard some shit on ESPN, and reported it. I think the trade sucks. The Bruins gave away the best player; in return, they received 3 decent guys. Maybe, they are trying to dump salary, or a problem not perceived by the public.

[powder11]

Jeremy Jacobs is the disgrace, he consistantly puts a 1/2 ass team on the ice to save a few bucks fully knowing boston fans are going to show up no matter. Then he has the gall to make a statement to the media that the team is a disgrace to the Bruins tradition. now he trades thornton? what an asshole

[Kya]

As a Bostonian I'm bummed but not surprised. After the B's lost their first game of the season with 10 seconds left........you had to know this was going to be another crappy season

[iceman]

The problem is that the Bruins' ownership (The Jacobs Family and the Delaware North Corporation) suck dead donkey dick. They don't care about winning any more than they need to to keep hockey-crazed Bostonians filling the seats and buying merchandise. I've been on a Bruins boycott for several years now: no games, no gear. And I love the Bruins, I really love them. But I'm not giving those bastards the Jacobs one fucking cent.

[seatosky]

This may be. I am only stating fact. You asked why. This morning, I heard some shit on ESPN, and reported it. I think the trade sucks. The Bruins gave away the best player; in return, they received 3 decent guys. Maybe, they are trying to dump salary, or a problem not perceived by the public.

Stuart is up for a raise, and he'll get one or leave at the end of this season. So when it all shakes out there's basically no difference in the Bruins' cap room.

DUMB move by the B's.

[Steven S. Dallas]

I fucking hate Jeremy Jacobs, and I'm with Ice on this one- I will not attend Bruins games, I won't buy Bruins merchandise, and I won't watch them on local TV. Anyone who willingly puts money into the coffers of this franchise can't call themselves a real fan, because all they're doing is helping perpetuate this history of shithead moves. This is an organization that obviously doesn't give a crap about their fan base and don't deserve the one they have.

[Cornholio]

Holy shit Matty! Your fantasy team has a -28 +/-.

That's just brutal, man. Sorry.

[fridge]

Stuart played his junior hockey here in Regina, and people keep saying he's going to be one of the top d-men in the league, but it's still yet to happen.

If this trade was Thornton for Marleau+Sturm or Marleau+primeau, then this deal would have made sense (although I'm guessing the Sharks never would have given up Marleau). Pierre Mcguire was losing his mind last night on TSN (although that is nothing new).

On an unrelated note, I loved watching the flames/sharks games in the playoffs last year since 90% of the players were WHL boys.

[Woodsy]

Holy shit Matty! Your fantasy team has a -28 +/-.

That's just brutal, man. Sorry.

yeah dood, I am killin it in my league w/ my normal crew, but the powderhound league I cant catch up.
rotiserie sux.
at least i am beating stump and macdaddy

[Lumpy]

Ask the Mariners brass why they let Griffey, A-Rod, Randy J, and Lou leave...nothin makes sense in pro-sports. No loyalty anywhere from either side.

Although Michael Irvin is pretty substance loyal.