from Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News,

Joe Thornton exited the handshake line with the St. Louis Blues before he made his way toward the bench. He handed his stick to a security guard right after he got off the ice and disappeared underneath the stands after a game for perhaps the final time in his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

There were many questions for the Sharks to comprehend after their 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday night. How did the series turn so abruptly after their win in Game 3? Where would this team be if everyone had stayed relatively healthy? Why did the offense dry up for the final three games?

Invariably, though, questions turned to what the Sharks will look like next fall, and whether players like Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski and Thornton will be back with the team for another run at the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

As one might expect, though, the pain was too fresh and the end had come too soon for anyone to fully be able to digest what the future holds.

Especially Thornton.

“No, nope,” Thornton said about if he’s given thought to his long-term future in the NHL and with the Sharks.

A season that began with Stanley Cup aspirations after a blockbuster trade to acquire Karlsson in September ended like all the ones before it — in disappointment.

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