By Ross McKeon Updated 3:36 pm, Tuesday, May 8, 2018 Forget about duplicate knee surgeries just 11 months apart. Forget about the helpless feeling of watching his Sharks teammates lose in the playoffs. And forget about an uncertain future in San Jose. One thing Joe Thornton retains is a sense of humor. Asked if he’ll trim his gray-streaked bushy facial hair, Jumbo Joe said: “Oh, no. Keep it tight.” The 38-year-old cornerstone of the franchise has every intention of returning with that trademark beard for at least another season. He and fellow top-line forward Evander Kane headline a group of free agents whose employment status for next season is uncertain. “There’s no secret, I’m a Shark,” Thornton said Tuesday as the team gathered one last time this season, two days after exiting the Stanley Cup playoffs. “I want to come back, and I know I’m going to be healthy when I come back.” Thornton admitted that the surgery on his right knee in late January was the same procedure he had in the last offseason to repair his torn MCL and ACL in his left knee. He said he had been close to being able to return; his rehab was complete and the knee just needed more time to get to full strength. Thornton overcame a slow start to score 26 points in 28 games before sustaining the knee injury on Jan. 23. Having played 961 games over 13 seasons in San Jose, Thornton said he’d be OK for a one-year… [Read full story]
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