JOE THORNTON: ‘It’s time to party’
Joe Thornton capped off the night with an emotional speech, telling stories, wiping tears from his eyes and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.
He said the last time he was at the Hockey Hall of Fame, he was attending the wedding of the parents of Brent Burns, then his San Jose Sharks teammate.
“Let me tell you, we rocked so hard that night, I didn’t think I’d be invited back,” he said. “But here I am, and this time, I stay forever.”
He said there was one season for him growing up: hockey season. He’d pretend to be Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Johnny Bower and Mario Lemieux. He wanted to be Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, Eric Lindros, Steve Yzerman and so many others.
“I want to thank all those greats for setting the bar and creating a dream inside of me,” he said.
He said the dream was made on Crescent Avenue in St. Thomas, Ontario, in a 1,200-square-foot house where his parents still live today. He and his brothers were raised on Don Cherry videos and knee hockey in the basement.
“At a young age, I instantly fell in love with the game of hockey,” he said. “It taught me the importance of brotherhood. It taught me the importance of friendship.”
Thornton traced his path to the NHL, talked about breaking in with the Boston Bruins and thanked the Bruins alumni.
“Everyone was just so kind to me,” he said. “They golfed with me, had lunch with me, taught me how to be a man. Wayne Cashman, we still talk weekly. It’s always the highlight of my week. I love you. But there was no one bigger during my time with the Bruins than Johnny Bucyk. As a young kid, 18 years old, the ‘Chief’ really took me under his wing, and he helped me through my first few years.”
He said it was “a hard few hours” when he was traded to San Jose.
“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,’” he said. “…Everything just clicked, and it was easy to go to the rink. I felt dominant.”
He said it was always an honor to play for Canada, and he shared an anecdote about winning the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
“I remember leaving the arena, and I looked to my left, and I saw a naked woman on the back of a motorcycle, waving a Canadian flag,” he said. “I looked to my pregnant wife, and I said, ‘I am so proud to be Canadian.’”
Thornton broke down as he talked about his wife, Tabea, and their children.
“Thanks for rolling with me, ‘T,’” he said. “I enjoy every day. I laugh. I smile. I think. I cry. All because of you.”
Finally, calling this the “honor of a lifetime,” Thornton turned to host James Duthie.
“Now, James, bring on the bagpipes,” he said. “It’s time to party. Thank you everyone. I love you.” — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
