The 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame Class is officially set. All new inductees were honored before the Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday, ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

One of the inductees is former Maple Leafs forward Joe Thornton. Thornton, a former first overall draft pick of the Boston Bruins who spent the majority of his career playing for the San Jose Sharks, was thrilled to see his former Maple Leafs teammate Auston Matthews arrive at the venue wearing his old Maple Leafs jersey.

“What a guy! Oh, he looks good, he looks good!” Thornton exclaimed during a live television interview. “And I got a nice little present from Aus, he’s a sweetheart.”

Last season, Matthews invited Thornton to be his guest on the Maple Leafs’ Mentors Trip, showcasing the close bond between them as former teammates and friends.

“I thought, he’s not just my mentor… we’re close. We talk all the time. And I thought it was just a cool opportunity to bring him along,” Thornton shared.

Despite their camaraderie, Matthews and the Maple Leafs were defeated by the Hurricanes with a final score of 5-4. This season has been a bit of an adjustment for Matthews following the trade of his longtime teammate and friend Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights.

### Joe Thornton Spent a Brief Portion of His Hall of Fame Career with the Maple Leafs

Thornton was selected first overall by the Bruins in the 1997 NHL Draft but played the bulk of his career with the San Jose Sharks. He was traded to the Sharks nearly 20 years ago in a blockbuster move that sent forwards Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau, along with defenseman Brad Stuart, to Boston in return.

During his time with the Sharks, Thornton earned numerous personal accolades, including winning both the Art Ross Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2006. Despite the Sharks’ strong regular-season performances, they only reached the Western Conference Final a few times during Thornton’s tenure, with a lone appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.

Thornton finished his career as one of only 14 players in NHL history to register over 1,000 assists—a remarkable achievement that cements his place among the greats in hockey history.
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