Shawn Thornton plays with heart, grit and determination. Because of that, he's become a fan favorite since joining the Bruins in 2007.
Never one to back down from a fight or not stick up for a teammate, Thornton reminds B's fans of what the Big Bad Bruins are all about. He may not put up big numbers and be the flashiest of players, but Thornton's old-school approach to the game, fueled by his toughness, has earned him the respect of fans, his teammates and players across the NHL.
In fact, Thornton was a healthy scratch for much of the Bruins' 2011 Eastern Conference final matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning and then Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks. But after falling behind 2-0 in the Cup Final, head coach Claude Julien knew it was time to shake things up, and what better way to do so than to insert the energetic Thornton into the lineup?
As expected, his intensity sparked the B's in what had become an emotional series, and as a result, he'll forever be remembered as a key component of the Bruins' 2011 title.
Since he's a fan favorite and an active member of the Boston community, there are a lot of Bruins fans who have personal stories and fond memories involving Thornton. We want to hear some of them, and the best will be featured on NESN.com.
Email your story, along with a photo, to fanvoice@nesn.com. Please include the subject line "Shawn Thornton" with your name and where you live in the body of the email. Stories should not exceed 500 words. Then, check back on NESN.com this week to see if your story was selected.
Monday, Oct. 4
Thornton's early years
Top 10 Bruins enforcers
Tuesday, Oct. 5
Meet the teenager
The ultimate teammate
