Joe Thornton Biography

Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey player who serves as the centre and alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks. Thornton was born in Ontario, Canada. As he grew up, he played minor hockey in his hometown of St Thomas, Ontario, for the St Thomas Travelers. He was selected as the first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, after which he went on to play seven seasons with the club. Later, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks. Throughout his career, he has proved himself to be a very valuable player of the team. He first played internationally for Canada’s national under-20 team at the 1997 World Junior Championships in Switzerland. He next appeared at the 2004 World Cup and then at the 2005 IIWF Championship. He represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. He has won many awards, such as the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Spengler Cup, in his career. Regarding his personal life, he is married to Tabea Pfendsack. They have two children.