Joe Thornton traded last night to the Sharks for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart.
Thornton stunned by trade
By James Murphy | NHL.com correspondent
Dec. 1, 2005
A bewildered Joe Thornton sat in the Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Massachusetts following practice Wednesday and didn't have an explanation as to why his team couldn't snap out of its current funk.
"It's like we're right there and ready to finally turn this thing around and then we take a stupid penalty or get a bad bounce and we fall apart. I don't ... I'm just like 'what the hell do we have to do?'" Thornton asked. "You play hard for most of the game and we do what we're supposed to yet we always find a way to blow it."
Well, Thornton doesn't have to lose anymore sleep over why the Bruins have lost nine of their last 10 games, but he's probably more bewildered today. In a stunning move Wednesday night, Boston GM Mike O'Connell sent the 17th captain in Bruins' history packing in a blockbuster deal with the San Jose Sharks. In return for Thornton, the Bruins received forwards Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau and defenseman Brad Stuart.
Ironically, just as former Bruins center Dave Scatchard's parents were in Boston when he was dealt two weeks ago, Thornton's parents also were in town for Thursday's game and Thornton was notified of the trade by O'Connell following dinner with his parents at Fleming's Steak House.
"I had been out to dinner with my parents and I got a call on the cell phone from Mike O'Connell telling me that I was traded," Thornton said in a teleconference late Wednesday night. "It was definitely a shock. I was blindsided for sure. I mean I just signed here hoping to finish my career here and I loved the guys I played with."
For weeks now, the Bruins have had rumors circling around them, mostly focusing on O'Connell and coach Mike Sullivan. They made the Scatchard trade for defenseman David Tananbe and waived veteran Shawn McEachern Monday, but no one expected this, especially Thornton.
"We expected changes and yeah we heard the rumors but no, I can't say I saw this coming," Thornton admitted. "But they've showed they still believe in the coach and the GM and I guess the next guy in line was the captain. Me."
When asked if he knew why his team was slumping and if there was any specific game or moment when things went downhill or led to this move, Thornton didn't know, but felt maybe the team thought it was his fault and that management must think this will pull the team out of it.
"I've been consistent all year and scored a point a game almost, I think, but I guess that's not good enough," he said. "I guess getting rid of me was the answer."
O'Connell released a brief statement hinting towards those sentiments, but not taking a shot at Thornton in any way.
"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. "We feel we received three players who can help us immediately. Brad Stuart is a top-four defenseman who is strong at both ends of the ice. (Marco) Sturm is a proven scorer, a good two-way forward who is a terrific skater and (Wayne) Primeau is a solid, two-way player who has good size at the center position."
As the teleconference went on, Thornton sounded clearly shocked and had all sorts of emotions running through him.
"I'm disappointed not mad," he said. "I grew up here and I loved the fans. I really want to thank them. They were great. I'm shocked, but I guess you gotta move on."
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