If you follow NHL hockey at all–either as a casual fan, a diehard, or somewhere in between the two–you know that this week, Boston Bruins captain Joe Thornton was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

What the…?

Yes, the Bruins have a crappy record (as of the trade, they’d lost ten of their last eleven games). But, as far as the team went, he was one of their best players. How on earth does one trade away their best player?!

“I was blindsided,” Thornton said of the trade.

“On the one hand, it is disappointing. And on the other, it’s good to start over again.”

(snipped)

The three-time all-star has totalled a team-high 33 points (nine goals, 24 points) in 23 games this season, his eighth in the NHL, and 169 goals and 454 points in 532 NHL games since being drafted first overall by Boston in 1997.

In his first game as a Shark, they smoked the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Joe got a couple of assists out of it.

Only time will tell.