Thornton agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Sharks on Sept. 6. The 40-year-old has 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 50 games this season and is San Jose's all-time leader in assists (797) and ranks second in games (1,084) and points (1,043).
"I haven't thought about it at all," Thornton told the newspaper Sunday. "I'm just trying to win games here and see how it goes. I'm still optimistic we can still make a run at it, I really am. We'll have to see how these next couple weeks play out and then we'll go from there."
The Sharks (21-25-4), who play the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center on Monday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, PRIME, NHL.TV), are 11 points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
Marleau signed a one-year contract with the Sharks on Oct. 9. The 40-year-old has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 46 games and is San Jose's all-time leader in games (1,539), goals (516) and points (1,099). He ranks second in assists (583).
"Not even thinking about that right now," he said. "It's about getting into the playoffs for us right now. That's where my focus is. We're going to have to put some good runs together to make that happen."
The Sharks have lost three straight games, getting outscored 14-4, but their next three games are at home, where they are 13-11-1, before playing seven of nine on the road leading up to the trade deadline, a stretch that likely will determine what the Sharks could do with Thornton and Marleau. Each can become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
"I'm trying to take it pretty slow, but I still feel like I could play another year," Marleau said. "We'll see how these next 32 games go."
Thornton said, "My body feels really, really good. I have no complaints there. My mind feels good. It's been a long year just with the ups and downs. But I feel really, really good."
