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Celebrating Jumbo Joe Thornton

The weekend of Joe starts today. The City of San Jose, the San Jose Sharks and of course, the Sharks fans will spend this weekend celebrating one of the greatest players in Sharks’ history, “Jumbo” Joe Thornton. On Saturday, the number 19 will be lifted into the rafters at the SAP Center, forever enshrining Thornton as a San Jose Shark.

But, of course, the jersey ceremony is just the culmination of a series of events that celebrate what Thornton has brought to the Sharks and what he continues to mean to the team and its fans.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, check out Thornton’s interview with Jason Demers. You can watch the one hour sitdown with Jumbo on YouTube.

If you have the time, the interview with his wife Tabea was also a good watch. You can find it here. His kids, Ayla and River, also spent a few minutes talking to Demers about their dad.

Proclaiming Nov. 23, 2024 Joe Thornton Day

Everything starts today on the streets of San Jose.

Later this afternoon, there will be a special event with Thornton, San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. Mahan will officially proclaim Nov. 23 as Joe Thornton Day.

In addition to the fan fair, San Jose will have a teal glow about it. The city has decided to light up the San Jose Civic Auditorium, Winchester Mystery House, Adobe Headquarters, Sonic Runway, the XO art display at Mineta International Airport, the Tech Interactive, the San Pedro Square Arch, the Circle of Palms and Post Street in teal.

They will stay lit through Joe Thornton Day on Saturday.

Legends Game

As the Sharks alumni pour into San Jose for the jersey raising, the team is also getting ready for the Legends Game, set to take place at the Tech CU Arena on Friday night.

You can find a full list of the players expected to attend the game here, but some of the highlights include Dan Boyle, Ryane Clowe, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Kyle McLaren, Douglas Murray, Evgeni Nabokov, Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi and Scott Thornton.

At last check, the tickets are still available for the game; however, they’re more than $100 each.

Game time is 6:30 p.m.

Jersey Retirement Day

The main event is Saturday. Be aware that if you have a ticket to the game, the GAME starts at 5 p.m. The pre-game festivities, specifically the retirement ceremony, start much earlier. Be inside and in your seat at 2:30 p.m. if you have a ticket. The doors open at 12:45 p.m. for Sharks 365 Members and at 1:00 p.m. for general admission.

Whether you have a ticket or not, be sure to head to SAP Center on Saturday morning for “Jumbo Fest.” Things start at 11 a.m. with a pre-game street rally. Fans can take photos with Thornton-themed backdrops and see collages with career highlights and memorabilia. Arrive early to get your own Jumbo-themed beard to wear.

Later in the day, there will be a VIP Teal Carpet emceed by Danny Miller and Emily Harlan. There, you can see all the Sharks players arrive in time for the ceremony.

Fans who attend the game will receive a Joe Thornton “Magic Puck,” which unfolds to reveal images of Thornton throughout his years with the Sharks.

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