In signing or re-signing six players aged 30 to 41, has Kyle Dubas erred in turning Scotiabank Arena from a daycare centre into a seniors home?
The latest and most newsworthy addition of literal graybeard Joe Thornton certainly has spiked the Maple Leafs’ dressing- room demographic — and likely the music playlist going forward.
This month’s roster remake would be more scrutinized had the young Leafs driven the car to the cusp of a Stanley Cup. But as they’re still looking to get past the first round, something new had to be tried, even if it’s an old flavour. Even their kid-friendly general manager Dubas thinks some “personality and experience” is required — and you won’t get a wiser owl than Thornton. He joins the returning Jason Spezza (37), newcomer Wayne Simmonds (32) and three who’ve just passed the 30 mark in Zach Bogosian, TJ Brodie and Aaron Dell.
“We were blunt with Joe about the team and where we want to go,” Dubas said on Sunday as he and Thornton conducted a media Zoom call. “We told him: ‘This is what we have to offer’. Everyone knows we haven’t reached the goals we’ve aspired to yet and we think you could be a big help.”
Coach Sheldon Keefe also enticed Thornton with his vision on where he might be utilized — centre, wing, power play. But Dubas also said those Leafs who addressed Thornton directly the past few days swung him to leave San Jose after 15 years for a one-year $700,000 US contract and a different path to the elusive Stanley Cup for all.
With all our players in the off-season, there have been some of the most frank discussions we’ve had. They’ve been honest with us in what they need to (stop) stalling in the playoffs, to put ourselves in good position at the start of the playoffs, not taking our foot off the gas and how Joe could help that.”
was retained to play fourth-line centre next year, Simmonds added as a physical presence and power play contributor, though it could be argued bringing in Thornton is over-kill.
“There’s going to be division of opinion of every move that’s made,” Dubas said with a shrug. “For those (new) players, it’s an opportunity to go out and show they still have the ability to make an impact.
“We were one of the youngest teams in the league last year. Something I learned from (former Leafs boss) Lou Lamoriello and from us going to the playoffs and what (Dallas Stars GM) Jim Nill did in adding Joe Pavelski, Corey Perry and Andrej Sekera to his lineup, is the impact that (vets) can have on a team. I won’t say we shied away from it before, but it was something we keyed into this year, something we needed to boost our group in getting Joe and Wayne.
“Not that our players don’t have a deep love for the game. But to still have the love of the day-to-day grind and getting yourself up every day … to have Joe, Wayne or Bogosian jump in, it can add a lot to that energy, especially not knowing what next year will look like.”
From Davos, Switzerland, where he’s playing club hockey to stay in shape, Thornton called leaving San Jose “probably my hardest hockey decision”. The Leafs pursued him three years ago, Thornton never wavering in his belief that the Sharks could win a Cup after reaching the 2016 final. Toronto may be his last shot.
“There were some teams interested in me and (San Jose GM) Doug Wilson wanted me to come back. But Toronto, with the roster they have and the guys they picked up in the off-season … I think this team is ready to win now.
“I love their goalie (old Anaheim rival Freddy Andersen), I really do. They’re strong up the middle, Brodie is on the back end, they have Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, the list goes on. I just want to help any way I can. Whatever role Sheldon wants, on and off the ice. I think I have lots of hockey left in me. I bring a little bit of everything.”
Dubas and Keefe are counting on Jumbo Joe’s Cup thirst being part of his motivational package, giving others an appreciation of how small a Cup window can be in a career, which Spezza hd tried to relate last season.
“Joe’s a good fit in terms of the skill set that has made him one of the best players of his generation,” Dubas said. “That still allows him to be an effective player when many who entered the league at his time have retired, with the exception of Patrick Marleau and Zdeno Chara.
“In looking to construct our team – whether it’s Auston, John (Tavares), William and Mitch – with Joe they can benefit from a high end playmaker up and down the lineup.
“Joe can still drive play at this stage of his career. It’s not like his minutes have dried up the past couple of years, he’s still at the 15 mark.”
Thornton said there were family considerations to the move as well, bringing his wife and two kids just a two-hour drive from their grandparents in the St. Thomas area instead of a four time-zone flight to California.
“It’s an easy transition, but it’s really because of the hockey. I aim to win a Cup and this is a great team that can do that.”
MONTANA THROWS SOME ADVICE THORNTON’S WAY
While Joe Thornton is well-known to Bay Area sports’ fans, there’s another Joe down there with four Super Bowl rings whose opinion the hockey star greatly respects.
When it came to crunch time whether to leave his beloved San Jose Sharks after 15 years,
Thornton dialed Joe Montana, ex-quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
“He gave me good advice about him leaving San Francisco to go to Kansas City (at the end of Montana’s Hall Of Fame career).”
Thornton had also consulted Joe Pavelski, a long-time Sharks teammate who went to Dallas last year and Patrick Marleau, who spent time with the Leafs before re-signing with the Sharks for next season.
“And I spoke to people outside of hockey the past week, great people,” Thornton said. “But Montana offered me up some good advice.”
He didn’t elaborate on their conversation.
There’ll be no wrestling for who gets to wear 19 on the Leafs, Thornton’s preferred number on Boston and San Jose, but currently Jason Spezza’s property. Spezza Face-timed Thornton in Switzerland on the weekend to offer it, based on NHL seniority.
“I said: ‘No man, I’m not taking anything from you,” Thornton said. “We had a good laugh about it. He’s a special guy.”
Thornton will sport 97, his number in some international events.
As for the culture shock of hockey life in Toronto as a media magnet after years of relative anonymity in San Jose, Thornton chuckled: “I’ll be fine with it. I don’t mind you guys at all.”
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