Poll: Is Joe Thornton Hall of Fame-worthy?

James O'Brien

Jul 28, 2012, 8:20 PM EDT

28 Comments

AP

Joe Thornton isn’t all that old – he’s just 33 – but it feels like people have been discussing his legacy for years now.

Perhaps it comes with the territory of being a high-scoring, huge Canadian forward who was drafted first overall. (Especially when that guy hasn’t satisfied many with his postseason play.)

While he’s still one of the San Jose Sharks’ best players, there’s a feeling that Jumbo Joe’s best days are behind him. With that in mind, a fun question emerges: is he headed toward the Hall of Fame?

Let’s take a Cliffs Notes look at the arguments for and against.

Against

Just 87 points in 114 career playoff games, far behind his near-point-per-game regular season average.
Not a great goal-scorer.
Some expect a more physical style considering his towering size.
Insert more abstract criticisms about “heart” here.

For

Just over a point-per-game in his regular season career (1,078 points in 1,077 games).
Much better in the postseason with San Jose (69 points in 79 games).
One Hart Trophy, one Art Ross and six All-Star selections.
Nine seasons in the top-10 in assists, including three at No.1 overall.
Five seasons in the top-10 in points, fourth among active players for career points.

Naturally, he still has more hockey ahead of him, but where does Thornton weigh in now?