Trade trees #2: Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks

Getting the first overall pick may be an exciting time, but it's not without its failures. Drafting first overall may get you a franchise player like Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews. However you could also draft a player that turns into a bust like Alexandre Daigle, or more recently, Nail Yakupov. Today, we will be breaking down a trade involving a former first-overall pick making their way to California.



On November 30th, 2005, the Boston Bruins traded 26-year old Joe Thornton, a former first-overall draft choice for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau, and Brad Stuart. Many of you out there are likely wondering "Why would the Bruins would trade their top draft choice who at the time had collected 454 points in 532 games spread across 8 NHL seasons at that point, right in the start of his prime?" It was likely to give the 1st-line center position to young Patrice Bergeron, who remains with the team today as the team's alternate captain.

Coming to the Bruins was were three veterans. Wayne Primeau was a 29-year old center with plenty of NHL experience. He only played 101 games with the Bruins, scoring 29 points total with the team.
Brad Stuart was a veteran NHL defenceman playing in his sixth season in the NHL at the time of the trade. The 25-year old played in 103 games with the Bruins, scoring 48 points as a defenceman before he was traded along with Wayne Primeau to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew, who we'll get back to later.
 Marco Sturm was a 27-year old center at the time of the trade, and had played in 7 NHL seasons prior to heading to Boston. He played 302 total games with the Bruins between 2005 and 2010, collecting 193 points with the team before being sent to Los Angeles for 'future considerations'.
Back to that trade I mentioned before. Andrew Ference (355 GP, 81 P) and Chuck Kobasew (158 GP, 84 P) were solid players for the team during their time. Unfortunately, Ference left in 2013 to sign with the Edmonton Oilers. Kobasew however, was traded was traded to Minnesota in October of 2009 for 3 more players. Craig Weller and Alexander Fallstrom never played a game for the Bruins, and a second-round pick in 2011 which turned into Alexander Kokhlachev (9 GP, 0 P), who has since moved to Russia to play in the KHL.

Going back to San Jose, is Joe Thornton. Do I really have to explain? 916 games played in 13 NHL seasons with the Sharks, scoring 938 points in that time. He is on path to a certain Hall of Fame induction, and has been the face of the Sharks for years now.

Unsurprisingly, I have to give the win to the San Jose Sharks. To those who may disagree, tell me the last time you heard anything positive about any of the names that came to the Bruins. Meanwhile, Joe Thornton is still a stud for the Sharks, 13 seasons later.

Special thanks to Tyler for requesting I break down this trade.
What trade would you like to see broken down next? Leave a comment down below.