NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Joe Thornton flew to Nashville with his Sharks teammates Monday, but he’ll probably see more cowboy boots, live music and menus with hot chicken this week than game action.
Head coach Pete DeBoer’s acknowledgement Sunday that Thornton is receiving antibiotic treatment through a PICC line suggests that he’s unlikely to play on the Sharks three-game road trip. That isn’t necessarily bad news.
Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators (7-1) will mark the 41st time in 43 regular season games that the Sharks (4-3-1) have laced up the skates without Thornton. They’re 22-15-4 in those games, reaching the second round of the playoffs last season, and they’ve added Erik Karlsson to the lineup.