It's possible that Joe Thornton has already played his last NHL game. It's also true that he has yet to make a clear statement on what his plans are with regard to his future in the league after the Florida Panthers got humiliated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, getting swept in four games by the defending league champions.

Thornton did express some of his thoughts about the Panthers' early exit from the playoffs, via David Dwork of WPLG Local 10 News.

The veteran skater also said that as of the moment, he's got zero plans about his future, perhaps because he wants to take time before making a final decision.

Despite the way it turned out this season for the Panthers, Thornton believes that the team is going to be competitive for years to come. After all, Florida has a great balance of talent and youth, with guys like Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov,  Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair, and Aaron Ekblad all under contract with the Panthers for at least until the end of the 2022-23 NHL season.

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There's one obvious reason why Thornton continues to play even though he's way past 40 (he's turning 43 in July) and that's winning that elusive Stanley Cup Trophy. It's been over 20 years since he arrived in the NHL, spending 15 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, eight with the Boston Bruins, and a season each with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers, who appeared as though they were finally going to give Jumbo the chance to lift and kiss Lord Stanley until they imploded against the Lightning.

Thornton, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers in 2021, appeared in just 34 games and scored five goals with five assists in the 2021-22 NHL season.