Yahoo Sports 'He Seems Like Mr. Popular': Steven Lorentz And Other Maple Leafs Reveal What It's Like To Have Joe Thornton On Team's Mentors Trip
Joe Thornton has brought the entertainment on the Toronto Maple Leafs' mentors trip.
Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews brought the 45-year-old along on the trip. The two have grown close since Thornton played for the Maple Leafs in the 2020-21 season.
Ever since, both players have remained in touch, even attending UFC events together during the offseason. "I mean he's not just my mentor. I feel like he's almost everybody's mentor here," Matthews said with a smile on Tuesday.
Steven Lorentz spent the 2022-23 season with the San Jose Sharks, a team Thornton spent 15 years with. The former player still owns a home there and has Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini living with him.
Lorentz said on the final day of Toronto's mentors trip that he got to know Thornton a little while playing for San Jose.
"I mean, he's just such a good guy. He's just so laid back and such an easy guy to talk to about anything. Not just hockey, but away from the rink as well. Good Canadian boy," the 28-year-old told reporters.
"He's just easy to chat with. And we didn't really talk a whole lot of hockey, but again, it's just kind of shooting the breeze with him and getting to know him on a personal level is nice."
Thornton has always been a player filled with exuberance, especially during his time with the Maple Leafs. After announcing his retirement from hockey — in quite a unique way, that wasn't surprising — John Tavares described what it was like to play with Thornton.
"There’s some unique players and personalities in the game and he’s right up there as one of the best," Tavares said.
"Not just as a player but as a guy. You would have thought he was 18 years old when he was here. Just the love for the game, love for the locker room. All the quirks and stuff about him."
So, with his history in the game and his everlasting energy around people, would Thornton be classified as the captain of the Maple Leafs' mentors?
"It kind of seems that way. He seems like Mr. Popular. Everyone wants to get a conversation in with him," Lorentz grinned.
"He's so great like that. He's happy to talk to everyone. He remembers your name even if it's been a little while since you've seen him. Little things like that that just make him a great person."
Even Matthew Knies, who never got to play with Thornton, is happy about him being on this trip.
"I watched him growing up and he was a tremendous player, so it's cool to have him here and kind of pick his brain. It's been cool. I'm glad Auston brought him along."
Morgan Rielly only missed one game during the season in which Thornton was with the Maple Leafs. Still, four years removed from that season with Toronto, Rielly says Thornton is the same person.
"Yeah, it's great. Not much has changed. He's still the same person he was when we were lucky enough to play with him, so it's been a lot of fun."
Toronto's final game of the mentors trip is on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Maple Leafs are a perfect 2-0 thus far, winning back-to-back tight games against the Philadelphia Flyers.
A win against the Hurricanes would be the perfect way to cap off the momentous five days.
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