Joe Thornton will go down as one of the most beloved and accomplished players in Sharks' history, no matter how long the franchise is around. But imagine for one second a world in which Thornton not only never played for San Jose, but rather, etched his name in the NHL record books time and again as a member of a chief rival.
Scary, right?
Well, according to former Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke, that hypothetical nearly became a reality.
Burke, who was hired as Anaheim's GM following the 2004-05 lockout, apparently tried to change the Ducks' early-season trajectory in 2005-06 by making a blockbuster trade for Thornton.