'It's Great To Have Him With Us': Joe Thornton Attends Maple Leafs' Game As Auston Matthews' Guest For Club's Upcoming Mentors Trip

The Toronto Maple Leafs look to be continuing their tradition of celebrating influential figures in their players’ lives with the mentorship trip, an initiative that began in February of the 2019-20 season.

This year, a familiar face is returning to the organization, Joe Thornton, who was chosen by star forward Auston Matthews to accompany the team as his guest, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted on X on Sunday.

Thornton, who played a single season with the Leafs during the shortened 2020-21 COVID-19 bubble season, was spotted ahead of the team’s Sunday game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Captured by the Sportsnet broadcast, Thornton posed for a photo with two Maple Leafs legends, Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour pre-game.

The Leafs have also extended invitations to Clark and Gilmour to join the trip. The group is set to hit the road on Monday, kicking off the journey with a Tuesday game to wrap up their home-and-home series against the Flyers.

"It's great to see him. A special player, obviously," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said about having Thornton on the trip. "A great player for a long time in this league and he's pretty close with a lot of these guys from playing here. It's great to have him with us."

The mentor's trip stands apart from more traditional mom or dad trips that the team has organized in the past, providing players with flexibility in choosing someone significant to them.

Past participants have included John Tavares’ minor hockey coach, James Naylor, and now-former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas’ guest, Arkells frontman Max Kerman (both in 2020).

This approach allows players to thoughtfully honor the individuals who have influenced their careers, regardless of their family circumstances and those who’ve played key roles in their journey to the NHL.

Thornton’s inclusion is a testament to the bond he developed with Matthews and Mitch Marner during his brief tenure with the Leafs, where his leadership and presence left a lasting impression on the star forwards.

Related: 'I Always Tell People When They Ask Me That It Was An Experience Playing With Jumbo': Maple Leafs Reflect on the Impact Joe Thornton Made in His Lone Season

Meanwhile, Clark and Gilmour bring the historic element to the franchise, with Gilmour’s time spanning from 1991-1997 and Clark’s tenure extending over three separate stints from 1985-2000.

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