Joe Thornton demands a trade out of Boston

[Yashamaga]

I don't have time to get the article but I'll discuss it when I get back ...

[BCWWF]

Damn, all I have to say is that sucks for you guys. How you doin' anyway Yash?

[Yashamaga]

NY POST:

July 4, 2004 -- THE reverberations from the Bruins' stunning first-round loss to Montreal in which Joe Thornton went scoreless over seven games while playing with a broken rib have echoed into the summer, with the Boston captain having asked management for a trade, Slap Shots has learned.
According to well-placed sources, Thornton, now a restricted free agent with a $5.5 million qualifier on the table, met with Mike O'Connell three weeks ago and told the GM he did not wish to return to Boston. We're told that the 25-year-old centerman believes that management did not provide him with adequate cover for his ineffective work in the series that the Bruins somehow squandered after taking a 3-1 lead, and indeed hung him out to dry even though he played through substantial pain and physical limitations. An alternate source has told us that management, citing his 21:30 of average ice, seems not to believe that Thornton was so debilitated, at all, and instead used the injury as an excuse for a dreadful series.

"Joe is adamant about not wanting to go back," one of our sources said this week. "There's a very serious issue of [lack of] trust there."

The Bruins, who won the Northeast Division while finishing fourth overall with 104 points, go into the summer as a shell of a club, having lost, among others, Glen Murray, Brian Rolston, Mike Knuble, Dan McGillis and Sean O'Donnell to unrestricted free agency while facing a Group II negotiation with Sergei Samsonov and a likely salary arbitration case with Sergei Gonchar that very well could wind up with a team walkaway.

In other words, the Bruins were in shambles even before Thornton - who recorded 77 points in 73 games following his 101-point, 2002-03 - told O'Connell that he wants out. It's likely that the 6-4, 220-pound Thornton would command up to $7M (conservatively) in salary arbitration, and at least that much per in a long-term deal, new era or not. Given the skeleton crew that would surround the helicopter center (no wings) anyway, Boston ownership might decide it's in the team's best interests - never mind Thornton's - to try to acquire three legitimate younger (and cheaper) players in a deal for one of the league's elite, marquee talents.

We're told that the Panthers, who have an abundance of young and cheap talent, are extremely interested in Thornton, who thrived in the one year he played for Mike Keenan in Boston. The newly hired Florida GM - "looking to make a splash," we've been told - is believed willing to part with Jay Bouwmeister and Stephen Weiss as the foundation of a deal for Thornton. Should Keenan be able to snare Thornton - he'd also likely have to part with Nathan Horton to get the deal done - he's expected to then zero in on dealing with Dallas for Billy Guerin, Thornton's erstwhile linemate in Boston.

Just because Thornton has asked for a trade doesn't mean he will be dealt, that much is obvious. But with No. 19 on the market, the hockey summer might actually provide some sizzle.




The Kings, seeking a first-line center and with payroll room given Zigmund Palffy's bizarre decision to ignore the club's three-year offer of around $6.5M per, don't appear to have the pieces to send Boston's way for Thornton

[Yashamaga]

Jay Bouwmeister and Stephen Weiss as the foundation of a deal for Thornton. Should Keenan be able to snare Thornton - he'd also likely have to part with Nathan Horton to get the deal done

I'll do that right now.

He's a whiney bitch.

brb gonna make a new sig

[The CyNick]

Meh, I wouldn't want to play in Boston, they never seem committed to winning. Then again, I'm a Leafs fan, so I have no room to talk about how to run a franchise.

Anyway, heck I hope the Leafs go after him, but I dont think they have anything to deal (stupid scouts, stupid GMs...).

It would be tough for Boston to deal him, yeah you'll get a lot of offers, but you'd think they'd want to get back another superstar to help fill the seats.

If Florida gets him, that'll be interesting, they'll have a good nucleus of talent to build aorund, could become the Sens of the future (even better since they have Luongo).

I wonder if the Rangers will be in the hunt?

[Yashamaga]

Damn, all I have to say is that sucks for you guys. How you doin' anyway Yash?

pretty neat pretty neat
pretty good pretty good


well not anymore...

sig :naughty:

[MoRcHeEbA]

I love how you were sooooo horny for him all these years, but now that he knows the Bruins are in a rebuilding type mode he wants out. Keenan also isn't stupid enough to trade Horton and Boumeester

[MoRcHeEbA]

I remember last year I said Thornton wanted out of boston and you flipped out on me :cool:

[da_king]

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what do you guys think of a bertuzzi-thorton deal? power forward for power forward straight up. bert could get a fresh start elsewhere without all the baggage, thorton's a bit younger. personally i'd like to see bert stay and i also don't think thorton is in any position to be demanding trades but if i were to deal bert or thorton, the other guy is who i'd go for.
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[Sensei Of Mattitude]

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what do you guys think of a bertuzzi-thorton deal? power forward for power forward straight up. bert could get a fresh start elsewhere without all the baggage, thorton's a bit younger. personally i'd like to see bert stay and i also don't think thorton is in any position to be demanding trades but if i were to deal bert or thorton, the other guy is who i'd go for.
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Yeah, if Bert doesnt go to MOTHERFUCKING JAIL! idiot.

I go to school in Boston, so I hate the Bruins. I would send John LeClair and another ageing vet from MY FLYERS to the Bruins for Thornton. But Thornton seems to me to turn into ERIC LINDROS 2004

[Supreme Olajuwon]

wow Yash you are fickle

I wonder what you would do if Tom Brady demanded a trade. Prolly the same thing

[da_king]

Yeah, if Bert doesnt go to MOTHERFUCKING JAIL! idiot.

I go to school in Boston, so I hate the Bruins. I would send John LeClair and another ageing vet from MY FLYERS to the Bruins for Thornton. But Thornton seems to me to turn into ERIC LINDROS 2004


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don't be so naive he's not going to jail. bert's better than thorton anyways we should just keep him.

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[Big Vic]

bye joe

[MoRcHeEbA]

I doubt he's even gonna be traded, but if he is I wouldn't be shocked to see him go to Dallas for Guerin and a prospect.

[YOUR Hero]

Thorton sure seems to worry about the "backstage" stuff way too much. His job is to play hockey. Anyway I could see Florida making that type of deal, although after the Bure for Jovonasky fiasco, I'm not so sure they'd want to risk another 'splash' getting a big name player. Who knows though. I wouldn't.

[Heyman]

Ed Jovanoski for Joe Thorton.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The Canucks then trade the Sedin twins (collectively) for a solid stay at home defenseman (not as good as Jovo overall, but solid nonetheless).


One can dream. :meh:

[ShaneLobo]

Very Interesting...

Being a Stars fan...could this be a deal that sends Guerin back to Boston? Guerin loves Boston everyone knows that here..

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

He didn't do shit in the playoffs this year

But he was also pretty banged up so I guess thats an excuse for that

[MoRcHeEbA]

except no one believed him in boston and that's the whole reason he wants out :rant:

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Really? I really follow much NHL so I have no idea

I thought he didn't come out and say what was wrong with him until after the playoffs? So while he playing like shit nobody really had an idea he was hurt?

[Kapoutman]

Really? I really follow much NHL so I have no idea

I thought he didn't come out and say what was wrong with him until after the playoffs? So while he playing like shit nobody really had an idea he was hurt?
Well, he was "supposedly" hurt at the start of the playoffs, but he didn't make a big deal out of it. Then, around game 4-5 (can't remember which one), he was checked into the board by Mike Komisarek. It was a pretty rough checking, and after the match, he started complaining about his "already" broken ribs hurting.

Since he was already in a slump at that point, people don't know if he was really hurt or not. I guess he was, but Kevin Lowe played playoffs with broken ribs for the Oilers before and ended up being the best defenseman of that year. Maybe Thornton was hurt more. I don,t know.

[Yashamaga]

wow Yash you are fickle

I wonder what you would do if Tom Brady demanded a trade. Prolly the same thing

Of course.

You did it with Dillon, no?

[Yashamaga]

I remember last year I said Thornton wanted out of boston and you flipped out on me :cool:

I don't think at that point he did though.

I hope they can get this sorted out like the Pats did with Ty Law, but until then - Joe's a pussy.

Either I hope he stays or we get that Panthers deal done.

I wouldn't trade him for Bertuzzi tho because of the jail thing and he's like 5 years older, and IMO Thornton's better.

[Yashamaga]

Oh yeah and it's a good thing we suck right now because either there's gonna be no season anyway and we can sign people with the freed up cap room of all our FAs that left or if there is a season, we can tank it hardcore and get Crosby.

I got things figured out. :cool:

[da_king]

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well, as long as you're at peace with your team sucking.

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[Yashamaga]

:foc:

[MoRcHeEbA]

Of course.

You did it with Dillon, no?

I never heard supreme say anything good about dillon :o

[MoRcHeEbA]

Oh yeah and it's a good thing we suck right now because either there's gonna be no season anyway and we can sign people with the freed up cap room of all our FAs that left or if there is a season, we can tank it hardcore and get Crosby.

I got things figured out. :cool:

if that's your plan you better hope the CBA gets done cause Betteman said at the draft if more then half the season is lost this year they're gonna do the same draft order and re-do the lottery with washington,pittsburg,chicago.

[Yashamaga]

There's no way he'd go through with that threat.

WAS = Ovechkin AND Crosby? no way.

they'd be a first place team right away :eek:

[Adder]

No they wouldn't be.

[MoRcHeEbA]

I would agree they wouldn't be. He didn't use that as a thing to scare the players or anything that's just what he wsaid would happen because it wouldn't be fair for a team to play 35 games and suck in them. Lots of teams play bad and good in the first 35 games so it's really no other way around it.

[Kapoutman]

Crosby is going to be a great player. I haven,t seen a lot of Ovechkin though, but I heard good things.

[The Outlaw]

Of course.

You did it with Dillon, no?

No. Im 100% sure he talked shit about Dillon being a cancer while he was with Cinci.

Also Crosby = stud

[MoRcHeEbA]

it might also be pointed out Thornton is a restricted free agent so I'm sure boston would rather someone just sign him to an offer sheet and get 5 first round picks for him :y:

[Yashamaga]

Yeah, like the Capitals

[VonErich Lives]

it might also be pointed out Thornton is a restricted free agent so I'm sure boston would rather someone just sign him to an offer sheet and get 5 first round picks for him :y:

Think the price would be that high?

5 first rounders... that'd be nice... especially if it's not a top team.

I like Thorton, that being said, I've always prefered to have your wingers as your scorers and have a basic center who can get the puck to everyone then a scoring center who will have tendency to hold the puck. yes, there are a few "great exceptions", but I don't think Thorton is one, at least he hasn't proved it yet.

[MoRcHeEbA]

most teams would rather make a trade for him anyways, no one in there right mind would want to lose 5 first round picks, and in a time where there is no CBA in place. most of them wont sign him to a deal worth about 7 million which is what he'll get in boston if they go to arbitration. I've read alot about Toronto trading 2 young defenseman Pilar and one other defensive prospect. not alot, but that's what I heard that's what they want :-\

[da_king]

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yeah it's pretty rare for a group two free agent to sign with another team. even if he did sign an offer sheet, boston could still match it i beleive and try to trade him later. with the direction the leauge is headed who knows what thorton is worth. there's a glut of talented free agents out there that no one's rushing out to sign.
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