Joe Thornton's resurgent season was not enough to earn him a Hart Trophy nomination. Dallas' Jamie Benn, Chicago's Patrick Kane, and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby are the finalists for the award, the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced today.
As a 36-year-old, Thornton posted the sixth-highest point total of his career, finishing the campaign with 82 points in 82 games. He finished fourth in points, second in assists, and as Adam Gretz of CBS Sports points out, had arguably the biggest impact of any player on his respective team:
When Thornton is on the ice during 5-on-5 play the Sharks control close to 57 percent of the shot attempts in the league and outscore their opponents by a 64-25 margin.