Last season, Thornton recorded 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in just 47 games with San Jose. Despite missing the latter 35 games of the season due to injury, he ranked seventh on the Sharks in assists, tied for eighth in points, fifth in points per game (0.77), fourth in power-play points (18) - just one shy of his season total from the year before (79 games), third in faceoff win percentage amongst Sharks players with at least 200 draws (52.0%) and second in power-play time on ice per game (3:35).

On March 6, 2017 at Winnipeg, Thornton recorded his 1,000th career NHL assist (in his 900th game with San Jose), becoming only the 13th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. With his helper, Joe joined NHL legends Wayne Gretzky (1,963), Ron Francis (1,249), Mark Messier (1,193), Ray Bourque (1,169), Jaromir Jagr (1,149), Paul Coffey (1,135), Adam Oates (1,079), Steve Yzerman (1,063), Gordie Howe (1,049), Marcel Dionne (1,040), Mario Lemieux (1,033), and Joe Sakic (1,016) in the 1,000-assist club - all of whom (with the exception of the active Jagr) are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Of these 13 players, Thornton reached this milestone in the sixth fewest games (1,432). Additionally, in 2016-17, he became just the second player in Sharks history to record 900 points with Team Teal (Patrick Marleau), recording his 900th point on Nov. 21, 2016 vs. New Jersey, and appeared in his 1,400th NHL game on Dec. 20, 2016 vs. Calgary.

Thornton has recorded 1,427 points (397 goals, 1,030 assists) and a plus-197 rating in 1,493 career NHL games. Amongst all NHL players since Thornton entered the NHL for the 1997-98 season, he ranks first in both assists and points. During the 2017-18 season, Thornton climbed to 12th on the NHL All-Time Assists list and 16th on the NHL All-Time Points list. Amongst active NHL players, Thornton ranks second only to Jagr in career NHL points and assists and eighth in career goals. In 160 career playoff games, Thornton has posted 27 goals and 96 assists.

Acquired by San Jose from Boston on Nov. 30, 2005, Thornton has 745 assists and 973 points in 961 games with the Sharks. During that span, no NHL player has more assists than Thornton and his 973 points with San Jose ranks third amongst all NHL players since the trade.

On the Sharks franchise list, Thornton ranks near the top in most statistical categories. He is first in assists, points per game (1.01) and plus-minus (plus-172). He ranks second in points (973) and games played (961), and third in goals (228).

In 2006-07, Thornton became only the third player in NHL history to have back-to-back 90-plus assist seasons (96 in 2005-06, 92 in 2006-07), joining only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.

Thornton led the NHL in assists in 2005-06 (96), 2006-07 (92), and 2007-08 (67). He became just the fourth player in NHL history to lead the League in assists for three consecutive seasons, joining Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Stan Mikita (Henrik Sedin has since joined this list in 2011-12).

Thornton was named the winner of both the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy in 2006, the season he was acquired by San Jose. He been selected to six NHL All-Star Games (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009), and was named an NHL First All-Star Team in 2006, and an NHL Second All-Star Team in 2003, 2008 and 2016.

Internationally, Thornton has represented his native Canada on numerous occasions, including winning gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics (also selected in 2006), the 2004 and 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and the 1997 World Junior Championships.

The six-foot-four, 220-pound native of London, Ontario was originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the first round (1st overall) of the 1997 NHL Draft. He was acquired by San Jose from Boston on Nov. 30, 2005.