Joe Thornton made a drastic decision with the NHL season suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Sharks’ veteran center shaved his iconic beard.
Thornton is San Jose’s all-time assists leader, but the 40-year-old has become arguably more synonymous with his “lifestyle beard” in the last handful of seasons. He and teammate Brent Burns began growing beards during the 2015-16 season, and the beards became a staple for both players well beyond the 2015-16 Stanley Cup Final.
The two posed on the cover of the “Body Issue” for “ESPN: The Magazine” wearing, well, not much else outside of the beards.