Thornton played 44 games with Toronto in 2021, scoring five goals and 15 assists.
When Auston Matthews heard the Toronto Maple Leafs were having another mentors trip, he knew exactly who to call.
Joe Thornton spent one season with the Maple Leafs in 2021, during the season which had the Canadian division. Before that season began, Matthews, William Nylander, and former Maple Leafs Rasmus Sandin and Mac Hollowell quarantined with Thornton at his house in Ontario.
Ever since then, Matthews has been close with the now-retired 45-year-old. That's why, when players found out the team was having a mentors trip, he chose Thornton.
"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 after the Maple Leafs 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
"We talk all the time and I thought it was just a cool opportunity to bring him along. And you know, with his jersey retirement this year and just the relationship that he still has with myself, a lot of guys on the team, staff members, you know, it's been a treat to have him so far. So it's been a lot of fun."
Thornton isn't the only former NHL player on the trip. The Maple Leafs also have Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark joining them for the near-week trip. Thornton was seen posing for a photo with Clark and Gilmour outside Toronto's dressing room ahead of Sunday's game against the Flyers.
Each player, coach, and staff member were offered to bring a mentor on Toronto's two-game road trip. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and Dennis Hildeby didn't bring anyone.
"I'm my own mentor," Hildeby joked as he left the scrum after Sunday's win in Toronto.
Steven Lorentz brought his father, Mark, on the trip. Bobby McMann brought his sister. Matthew Knies brought his older brother, Phil.
"I think it's probably nostalgic for him. He played hockey too, so being in a locker room, being around the guys, I think he's probably missing it a little bit," Knies said on Sunday. "I'm happy he's here. It's going to be a fun time for him and all of us."
The entire team and the mentors went for dinner in Philadelphia on Monday. It's a chance for the players to show those close to them what it's like to be in the NHL. The mentors even get to sit in on the team meetings before games.
"It's great having them around. Seeing a lot of guys that I haven't seen in a while too. Doug Gilmour, Joe Thornton, Wendel (Clark). Plus all the mentors here, some fathers, different people that have meant a lot to the guys in their lifetime. So we had a great trip so far," Berube said.
"I think it's just more about dinners, getting together and being here at practice and getting to be around the guys, getting to be around the room. We invite them in for meetings and things like that so they get to see that side of it which is great."
