'Jumbo Joe' back in the Sault for a special weekend

Joe Thornton and his his family are special guests in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend as the Greyhounds will be lifting his No. 19 to the rafters of GFL Memorial Gardens.

“We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to invite Joe and his family back to the Soo to recognize him for his efforts as a Greyhound but also for his long, storied career in professional hockey,” said Greyhounds President and Governor Tim Lukenda in a news release.

This Saturday, Nov. 4, the Greyhounds will host the Windsor Spitfires in Ontario Hockey League action. Game time is 7:07 p.m., with a special ceremony planned to retire Thornton's number.

“Joe is one of the most recognizable hockey players in the world and we are extremely proud to welcome him back to honour him as part of the Soo Greyhound family," added Lukenda. "As we say, ‘Once a Greyhound, always a Greyhound’ and Jumbo was one of the very best to wear the red and white.”

This weekend’s ceremony comes fresh off the announcement by Thornton of his official retirement from the National Hockey League after 24 seasons with the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers.

"I love the Soo. I always felt loved and welcomed there," Thornton said. "It is a blue-collar town, I fit in there, I played their style of hockey and I think people liked that."

In 1,714 NHL games played, Thornton recorded 430 goals and 1109 assists, good for 1539 points while captaining both the Bruins and Sharks and participated in six NHL all-star games.

He was the 2005-06 Art Ross Trophy recipient as NHL’s Top Scorer and won the Hart Memorial Trophy as MVP.

The 44-year old had last played professionally on April 29, 2022 with the Panthers.

Thornton was originally selected in the first round (second overall) of the 1995 OHL priority selection by the Greyhounds from the St. Thomas Stars junior B team.

Over the course of 125 regular season games through two seasons (1995-96 and 1996-97), Thornton recorded 71 goals and 127 assists, good for 198 points. He added 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 15 post-season games.

He was Hounds rookie of the year (1995-96), top scorer, regular season MVP and three-star award winner in 1996-97.

Thornton was named to the OHL all-rookie team, was named OHL and CHL top rookie in 1996 and an OHL second-team all-star in 1997.

Seats are available at the arena box office or online.