Head coach believes his player would be a 'living legend' in a larger market.

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HockeyFeed
Published 7 years ago
Head coach believes his player would be a 'living legend' in a larger market.
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One coach believes that one of his veterans isn't getting the respect that his play deserves.

San Jose Sharks' head coach Peter DeBoer believes that if his forward Joe Thornton was playing in a larger hockey market, he would be a "living legend".

"If this guy was playing in Toronto, Montreal or New York, he'd be a living legend," DeBoer told reporters Monday, adding that he never truly appreciated his play until taking the Sharks' coaching job this season, calling the forward an "incredibly honest player."

At 36-years old, Thornton has continued to be one of the most productive players in all of the NHL. The center finished the regular season fourth in league scoring this season with 82 points. Thornton has continued to tear it up in the playoffs, recording three goals and eight assists through two rounds, trailing only Logan Couture, Brent Burns, and Joe Pavelski on his team.

Thornton did begin his career with the Boston Bruins, which is a highly recognized hockey market, before being dealt to the Sharks. He produced at a point-per-game pace in 2015-16, and his continued production went somewhat under the radar.

With 1,341 career points, the London, Ontario native trails only Jaromir Jagr among active players.

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Source: ESPN