As a new NHL season begins on Thursday, Joe Thornton isn’t suiting up for the Sharks for the first time since 2005.
When Joe Thornton tells you to fight, you do it.
That's how Torrey Mitchell felt when the Sharks were facing the Dallas Stars back in 2010. After being berated by Thornton on the bench as Jumbo called him "dog s--t" and a "waste of space" to fire him up, Mitchell took matters into his own hands.
"I see skates and I just two hand as hard as I can," Mitchell said on the "Spittin Chiclets" podcast. "So I look up, it's Brad Richards and I'm like, 'Oh no.' He spears me ... spears me. Next thing you know, gloves off, we're goin', I get a 2, 5 and a 10. So I'm done for the game.
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"I go to the locker room. Jumbo, first guy in the room. 'F--kin' right, Mitchy! Let's go! That's what I'm talking about! We're gonna win this game for ya.' "
Mitchell recalls that the Sharks did indeed come back and beat the Stars after his fight in the second period. The only problem is, that's not exactly the truth.
According to Hockey Reference, Mitchell received 10 minutes in the penalty box and the Sharks lost 5-4 on Nov. 18, 2010.
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But the moral to the story is, teammates always want to do whatever Thornton asks. No matter what.
"He's one of those guys -- you just do stuff for him."
