Sharks Locker Room: What Can This Team Learn From Joe Thornton?

What have you learned from Joe Thornton?

That was, naturally, a go-to question after the San Jose Sharks’ 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, on the day that Jumbo’s No. 19 went up in the rafters.

Fabian Zetterlund and Luke Kunin scored.

I wonder, and I don’t know this for a fact…

James Reimer ROBS Macklin Celebrini.

Celebrini can't believe it. pic.twitter.com/v4MXjgb3Vo

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) November 24, 2024

It wasn’t just 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini looking to the sky after a James Reimer save. Veteran Tyler Toffoli did it, after one of his multiple Grade-A chances was stopped.

Could the San Jose Sharks learn from Thornton’s ability to turn the page?

Jumbo, of course, got frustrated on the ice too. But…

“It’s a great trait to have, not just young guys, for everyone, to not let one bad shift turn into three bad shifts, turn into a bad period, turn into a bad game, and the next bad game,” San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier said before Friday’s Legends Game. “So that’s something I think our group can learn, and it’s a skill that Jumbo had in spades.”

I’m not saying that’s why the Sharks blew the 2-1 third period lead.

But it’s food for thought on a night that the Sharks should’ve won.

Barclay Goodrow talked about what he learned from Thornton. Zetterlund shared the origin of his Jumbo beard celly. Celebrini discussed River Thornton’s homework. And Ryan Warsofsky gave his opinion about Celebrini’s frustrations.

Barclay Goodrow

Goodrow, on what he learned from Joe Thornton:

Just little lessons. He was a guy that would just appreciate how lucky we are to be able to do what we love for a living. We get to play hockey, have fun, be around our teammates every day. He never took that for granted. It’s something he didn’t have to teach anyone, but you could just learn from him that we truly do have the best job. It’s maybe easy to get down some days, but he always came to rink with the best attitude. Just ready to work and just ready to work hard and get better. Even at later stages, he was still doing that. He was a great guy to learn from.

Goodrow, on what Thornton would've thought about Zetterlund's beard celly: "He would have loved it. Jumbo had some great cellys over the years."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 24, 2024

Fabian Zetterlund

Zetterlund, on who thought of the Jumbo beard celly: "I think it was mine. Just he has a big beard. I can't grow that long, wait a year or two."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 24, 2024

Zetterlund, on his goal celebration being in the fun spirit of Jumbo:

It’s his day, and it was for him. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the win.

Macklin Celebrini

Celebrini, on the ceremony:

That was really, really special. You could tell how emotional he was and his family was, and I mean everyone involved. I’ve only known him for a couple months, but it’s emotional for me watching that, seeing how much that meant to him and his family, how others and his teammates spoke about them, and the praise that they gave him. I mean, it fits. That’s everything I know about him.

Celebrini, on tutoring River Thornton: "I don't even know where he's at in math right now. We were on the road for a little bit. But I try to help as best I could."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 24, 2024

Celebrini, on his scoring chances tonight:

Yeah, I missed some big opportunities that could have changed the momentum for our group. I need to be better. I need to put those in when I get them. You’re not going to get those every game. Some of the looks I had, I gotta capitalize on them.

Celebrini, on if he has Jumbo-like career goals, Hall of Fame, his jersey in the rafters: "I mean, isn't that every kid's? Especially watching that [ceremony]. If you ask every kid in the stands today, if they play hockey and they love it, that's where they would want to be at…

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 24, 2024

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on what happened to the San Jose Sharks in the third period:

We had some puck play issues. We have pucks on our stick in the defensive zone, and we don’t get pucks out, we don’t make a play. Next thing you know, it’s in the back of our net. And then, obviously, they score the short-handed goal.

Warsofsky, on Celebrini’s frustration tonight:

He’s a competitor. He wants to win. He wants to do well. I’m not going to ever take that away from him. It’s an emotional sport. I get emotional. We all get emotional. That’s why we do what we do, that’s why we love what we do. So I have no problem with his competitive nature. He wants to obviously score and help our hockey team win. Sometimes when it doesn’t happen, you get frustrated. That’s life.