The Florida Panthers Sign Jumbo Joe!

Announcing Thornton's arrival in South Florida, Panthers GM Bill Zito cited Thornton's experience as a factor in the choice.

"With over 1600 NHL games under his belt, Joe will offer a wealth of expertise to our locker room and lineup," Zito stated. "We are happy that he chose our club and believes in what we are building here in South Florida."

Thornton played last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner before suffering a rib injury against the Edmonton Oilers due to a hard body check from Oilers winger Josh Archibald. Thornton's comeback saw him slide down the depth chart, usually playing 4th line minutes in the playoffs.

Despite his age, Thornton had a productive season with Toronto, scoring 5 goals and 20 points in 44 games.

Thornton brings to the Panthers a 23-year NHL veteran with 1,680 regular season games and 1,529 career points. Thornton has also played in 186 playoff games and scored 134 points in those contests.

The Panthers have improved year after year and made several significant moves in recent years, including the Sam Reinhart deal and subsequent signing earlier this week to a 3-year, $48 million contract.

Thornton's new deal pays him $750,000 league minimum.