Team Canada GM: Thornton among world's top 3 passers

Joe Thornton may be 36 years old, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have something to offer Team Canada.

The San Jose Sharks forward nabbed one of the final roster spots on Canada's World Cup of Hockey roster, and while he may be the oldest member of the team - by nearly four years - general manager Doug Armstrong believes he brings a couple of obvious skills to the table.

"He doesn’t play as much down low in his own zone, so he’s gone to a three-quarter ice game, which allows him to play with more speed in the neutral zone," Armstrong said Friday, according to Postmedia's Michael Traikos. "He’s still one of the best power-play players, and in my opinion he’s one of the top three passers - if not the best - in the world."

Thornton finished second to Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson with 63 assists during the regular season and sits tied for 13th on the all-time assists list.

After earning a gold medal with Canada at the 2010 Olympics, Thornton will make his seventh international appearance in September and will surely be looked upon to continue threading the needle.