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This Bearded Beast is someone you want with you on a night out but nowhere near your fantasy roster. Thorburn had more fights (eight) than points (seven) in 2017-18. He also put up more PIM (60) than games played (50) while averaging just 7:02 of ice time and two hits per contest. The 35-year-old is the definition of an enforcer but was unable to make the team out of camp.
The veteran winger is still in the process of recovering from a fractured ankle that ended his 2013-14 season, but should be fine heading into training camp in the fall. With two goals and nine assists in 11 games last season, Thorburn doesn’t bring much to the table offensively, but he did account for 65 PIM and his leadership is a valuable asset to the Jets franchise. Expect him to mentor a revolving door of young wingers on the team’s fourth line in 2014-15, while continuing to drop his gloves plenty of times in the process.
Last season, Thorburn was a reliable source of PIM with 70 in just 42 games (same as noted powerhouses Hartnell and Chara). But Thorburn would need to average a lot more playing time (than last year’s 6:19 TOI/G) to remain among the PIM leaders. Still, someone has to do the heavy lifting (Evander Kane led the Jets in PIM with 80). If he gets the playing time, Thorburn could be a sneaky source of PIM.
Averaging 89 penalty minutes per season since the 2007-08 campaign, Thorburn has established himself as one of the main fighters on a team that doesn't fight very much. With few superstars to protect on the ice, the 29-year old Ontario native is an enforcer who does little enforcing, and as such, presents very limited fantasy upside.
Thorburn posted a career-high 19 points last season (9 goals, 10 assists). He is a checking forward. He has just over 60 points combined in four NHL seasons and is more of a scrapper than a consistent offensive contributor. He is not worth pursuing from in your fantasy draft.
Thorburn finished with 18 points (5G, 13A) in 2007-08 with the Thrash last season. He will likely play on the fourth line again this year and won't see much ice-time. Look for Thorburn to produce about the same amount of offense this year.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Thorburn had three goals, two assists and 69 PIM's in 39 games with the Penguins last season. Thorburn, with help from Eric Boulton, will be the physical presence on the Thrashers. Atlanta doesn't have many players with Thorburn's "skills" so he'll get some playing time but not enough to help out any fantasy teams...even ones that have a goon category.
Thornburn only played two games in 2005-06, and with Buffalo having more than enough forwards, he will probably spend much of 2006-07 in the minors. He was drafted back in 2001, so he's running out of time to make his mark.
