2 Teams Who Should Give Joe Thornton One Last Chance At A Stanley Cup

There is no question that Joe Thornton will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame once he retires. With over 1,100 assists and 1,529 points in his career, it is clear that he is one of the best playmakers of all-time. Even with him being 41-years-old, he still is good enough to play at the NHL level. With Toronto this year, he had 20 points in 44 regular season games. Those numbers are definitely respectable given his role with the team.

The veteran is currently contemplating his future, but also has stated that he still feels good. That means there is hope that he will come back for a 24th NHL season. It would be amazing to see him end his career with a Stanley Cup, as he has yet to win one.

If Thornton decides to return next season, these two teams could make his dream of winning a Stanley Cup come true.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche could be a great team for Thornton to finish his career with. Although they lost in the second round this postseason, it is clear that they are real contenders. Thornton would fit in nicely, as he could provide some solid depth scoring in their bottom-six. He also could work well on their powerplay with his pass-first mentality.

When looking at their lineup, it is clear that this team is immensely deep . They not only have a great cast of forwards, but also a very strong defensive core. They also have enough cap space to give Thornton a league minimum deal, too, so this could work well for both parties.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights are low in cap space. However, they are likely going to move out at least one of their big contracts this summer. With center depth being the weakest part of their lineup, they could use a guy like Thornton to strengthen it. He is an appealing option, as he would not command much money at all.

Furthermore, the Golden Knights have had a lot playoff success since entering the league. Although it has yet to result in a Stanley Cup win, it seems like they are very close to achieving this goal. Thus, they could be a great match for Thornton.