The date is June 21, 1997.

The Boston Bruins are on the clock at the NHL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, holding the first-overall pick with the San Jose Sharks scheduled to pick right behind them. The Bruins’ then-general manager, Harry Sinden, steps up to the podium and selects a big centerman from the Soo Greyhounds who just dominated the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 41 goals and 122 points in 59 games. 

That centerman’s name was Joe Thornton. Eventually he’d be traded to the San Jose Sharks, where he’d spend 0ver a decade playing with the man selected right behind him, Patrick Marleau. The dynamic duo would become synonymous with the Bay Area, and “Jumbo”, as Thornton was affectionately called, led the team through some of their most iconic moments.

10,369 days after Thornton’s name was called on the stage in Pittsburgh, his name was called once again. This time, it was under very different circumstances. Now 46, he was being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. 

The night started on a humorous note for Thornton, as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman mistakenly referred to the newest member of the Hockey Hall of Fame as “Dumbo” before correcting himself.

After the rest of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2025 class gave their speeches, it was time for our main event of the evening. Following an introduction by James Duthie and a video package, Thornton took the stage to close out the night. Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald met the San Jose Sharks’ great, handing him his plaque. 

Normally known for his silly, childlike demeanor, Thornton was more serious than normal during his speech, although he was quick to implement some of his humor into his opening lines.

“The last time I was here in the hall, here in the Hockey Hall of Fame, I was attending the wedding of a teammate,” Thornton recalled. “Let me tell you, we rocked so hard that night, I didn’t think I’d be invited back, but here I am, and this time, I stay forever.” 

Emotions overtook him as he reflected on his early days, specifically regarding his parents, who were in attendance, and his childhood home. “I was Gordie Howe. I was Bobby Orr. I was the Great One. I was Johnny Bower. I was the Magnificent One,” Thornton remembered about his days on his backyard rink. “I wanted to be Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, Eric Lindros, Steve Yzerman, and so many more. So I want to thank all those greats for setting the bar and creating a dream inside of me.”

“That dream was made on Creston Ave, in a 1200 square foot house that my mom and dad built, and they still live in today,” Thornton said, as he fought off tears. “Wayne and Mary, my parents, you are the beginning, the middle, and the end of my story.”

The tears continued to flow as Thornton spoke about his hockey journey ultimately coming full circle: “I was lucky enough to play Junior B in my hometown of St. Thomas for the Stars, and it was a huge deal for me.

“I remember the old Memorial Garden packed with fans, and fast forward to today. I go there with my son. I get to skate with his buddies at an arena called the Joe Thornton Community Center. It’s pretty darn cool.”

Thornton then shifted the focus to his NHL career.

“That was another dream come true,” he said of being drafted first-overall by Boston. He talked about the ups, the downs, and how the alumni group in Beantown helped “[teach] me how to be a man.” He made sure to specifically shout out Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk stating: ”Chiefer, you taught me how to get back to the game that I love.”

Then, it came time for a change.

“In 2005, I was at dinner with my parents [and] my girlfriend, when I got a phone call and I was told I was traded to San Jose,” Thornton recalled. “It was a hard few hours, but then it hit me. I’m 26. I’m in the prime of my career. So let’s go west, and let’s go. I played two nights later, and our head coach, Ronnie Wilson, one of the best, said, ‘Joe, just go hunt.’”

“We never won the ultimate trophy, but going to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 has to be the biggest highlight,” Thornton stated about his time with the San Jose Sharks. “Although beating Vegas in game seven [in] 2019 was pretty cool, too.”

“Being a Shark is something I’m extremely proud of, and I sure have been enjoying watching the team play this year,” Thornton added, before calling out his current tenant and the Sharks’ up-and-coming superstar. “Macklin, I can’t wait to continue Rummikub with you. I’ll be coming in hot.”

Humor and emotion mixed when Thornton reflected on a conversation he had with Bettman.

“Lastly, when Gary Bettman came out to San Jose a few years ago, I told him that he cost me $7 million because he shut down the league that year,” Thornton said with a smile. Then, as emotion overtook him once again, he added, “I also told him, I’m not going to give him a left hook, because going to Switzerland changed my life forever. It was there [that] I met my wife.”

“[Tabea], I enjoy every day. I laugh, I smile, I think, I cry, all because of you,” Thornton said to his wife. “You’re my best friend and a great mother to my two best buddies, Ayla and River. I really am a simple man, and with the love that you three show me and our new addition, Phoebe, I know there isn’t anything else in the world.”

In classic Jumbo fashion, he quickly put emotion aside to conclude his speech with his trademark upbeat personality.

“Thank you for everyone. This is an honor of a lifetime. Now, James, bring on the bagpipes. It’s time to party. Thank you everyone. I love you.”