Bruins won't re-sign Shawn Thornton

Shawn Thornton will leave Boston with only 39 goals in seven seasons. (Brian Babineau/Getty) Between his hit on Brooks Orpik that earned him a 15-game

Shawn Thornton will leave Boston with only 39 goals in seven seasons. (Brian Babineau/Getty)

Between his hit on Brooks Orpik that earned him a 15-game suspension, and his squirt bottle antics on PK Subban that earned him the maximum fine allowed under the CBA, Boston Bruins left winger Shawn Thornton has come to be known as a bruiser, a rabblerouser, and a pest. But now he'll have to take his act somewhere else.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli announced Monday that the team would not be re-signing Thornton, after he spent the past seven years in Boston.

"I told him that he was one of the most significant acquisitions we made,” Chiarelli said, “one, for the role that he played, and two, for the person that he is. It was nice to rehash his time; it was sad to tell him that he wasn’t coming back. I wished him well, and Shawn was real up-front about it. I wished him luck, and I’m sure he’ll have success with his next team.”

MUIR: SHANABANNED! Shawn Thornton gets 15 games for attack on Brooks Orpik

At 36, Thornton is a bit old to be playing the enforcer role, which is why CBS Sports is questioning whether or not any team will offer him a deal:

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The question now becomes what kind of market will there be for Thornton. He's on the wrong side of 35 now and the tough guy role has been slowly diminishing in hockey, meaning teams will have to think Thornton can still play as well.