San Jose Sharks: Thornton Should Remain on the Third Line

As Joe Thornton plays more games for the San Jose Sharks, playing on the third line could prove pivotal in the depth players making a frequent impact in games.

Until Joe Thornton starts to find his legs again, the San Jose Sharks are best to keep the 39-year-old off the first line. The expectation before the season was Thornton being able to play on the first line and log significant ice time with Joe Pavelski and Evander Kane on the wings.

Two games into the season, coach Peter DeBoer already had to shuffle the lines after Thornton went on the injured reserve list. An infection to his surgically repaired knee kept him out of the lineup and returned in the Sharks’ 4-3 shootout loss at home to the Rangers.

As a whole, Coach DeBoer has yet to find the right line combinations with Thornton back in the lineup, deploying different looks in efforts to spark any offense after dry spells. So far, the line of Logan Couture, Timo Meier, and Tomas Hertl have been the most significant threat on the ice.

San Jose Sharks

For Thornton, he does not have to be the top performer and log the most minutes for a forward at this point of his career. With a pass-first mentality, he can make any player on the Sharks be an impact player on a nightly basis.

After the acquisition of Erik Karlsson, a few roster spots became vacant. Antti Suomela signed with the Sharks in the offseason after a stellar season in the Finnish League. A handful of NHL teams were interested in his services, but he chose to sign in San Jose.

DeBoer has kept to his word about playing time for those on the third and fourth line. The top-two lines get the most action while the limited playing time for the bottom two lines is one to challenge the depth players. Regardless of how much time is on the ice, DeBoer expects a positive effort on every shift.

Suomela recorded a few points, including his first career NHL goal against Carolina, but his play went a bit flat. For many young players, an 82-game season is a big adjustment compared to leagues that play fewer games.

A few eyebrows raised when Suomela was a healthy scratch against the Flyers. Despite not finding the score sheet, Suomela usually is active on the third line creating scoring chances.

Some may not have agreed with DeBoer’s decision, but this not the first time he went this route. Marcus Sorensen and Meier were casualties of being healthy scratches last season. In the case of Meier, seeing the game from the press box saw growth in his game.

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Meier is meeting expectations currently this season after a strong second-half performance from last year. He leads the team with 11 goals with the help of Couture, who is becoming a big-time performer in critical junctures of the game.

In Sorensen’s case, a warning was sent to him with Suomela coming out of the lineup. Sorenson did not have a strong outing in training camp but managed to make the lineup. He provides speed and can create offense with his legs but not on a consistent level.

Against Minnesota, both Sorensen and Suomela factored heavily in the contest, defeating the Wild who were 7-1 in their last eight games. Sorensen had a goal and two assists while Suomela scored his second of the season.

For Suomela, he could have let the healthy scratch decision negatively impact him. Instead, he took the choice with maturity and got rewarded for his play on the fourth line.

The jury is out on who should center the top line for the Sharks. For now, Thornton is making a pivotal impact on the third line for the sake of the development of the young Sharks’ forwards. Thornton is not ready to center the first line and may not likely at all this season. A strong indication came against the Wild as Sorensen benefitted with him and could potentially stick.

Thornton’s dependence to step up may potentially be a reason for their demise should another early exit from the playoffs ensue. To get contributions from all four lines come postseason is a coach’s dream. Perhaps keeping Thornton on the third line could be promising should Sorensen and Suomela keep trending upward offensively.

Compared to last season, the Sharks are finding the net at a higher rate, currently ranked 10th in the league in goals per game. The penalty kill is third best while the power play remains a work in progress but sits 13th overall.

Consistency is starting to take shape with the Sharks in the wide-open Pacific Division. Thornton is luxury to have for DeBoer, and he is utilizing him in the best way with the third line. No matter the line the grizzled vet is on, getting the results is the critical factor.