Shawn Thornton: Almost-Cop

With a career that was more minor than major in the eight seasons after being selected 190th overall in the 1997 draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Thornton thought long and hard about changing in his blades for a badge.

The 35-year-old Oshawa, Ont., native was so serious about pondering a career change that he spent some time tailing a couple of friends who were officers with the Metro Toronto police force.

If hockey wasn’t going to work out, becoming a cop seemed like a reasonable, good career move for a big-bodied dude who was running out of patience waiting for his big shot.