There appears to be friction between Joe Thornton and San Jose Sharks' front office, with the veteran centre calling out general manager Doug Wilson on Friday.

As reported by David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson spoke at a question-answer session for season-ticket holders Thursday night and fielded a question on the decision to take the captaincy away from Thornton last summer. "He cares about the game so much," Wilson explained. "The reason we took the 'C' off him...Joe carries the weight of the team on his shoulders, and he's got such a big heart that when stress comes on him, he lashes out at people and it kind of impacts them.

"The pressure and stress, I felt, was getting to Joe. And I sat him down and said we need other players to step up and share this. He got it. He didn't like it, but he got it and he understood it."

The veteran centre responded Friday to Pollak simply saying, "Doug needs to shut his mouth. I think that's the bottom line."

Thornton would go on to say: "All I've got to say is I've been here every day working hard. I haven't taken a sabbatical. He just needs to stop lying, shut his mouth."

Wilson responded to Thornton's comments Friday afternoon to CSNCalifornia.com.

“If he’s got an issue, he knows exactly where I am, and I’ll be glad to talk to him about it,” Wilson told CSNCalifornia.com. “There’s zero issue here. I was asked a question at a season ticket holder function, and my response was to do my job and be accountable to our season ticket holders and tell the truth. It’s nothing I haven’t said before.”

Head coach Todd McLellan commented on the subject as well after practice.

"We have 14 games left and we've got our game going right now in the right direction. I think the guys are committed to playing and winning," said McLellan. "As far as Jumbo goes, I've been around him every day this year and he's been excellent with the young players, the old players, the coaching staff.

"I think he can continue to do that and play well and play for each other and get us into the playoffs."

Thornton, 35, has 13 goals and 44 assists over 64 games this season, his 10th with the Sharks.

San Jose currently sits three points out of the playoffs.