Joe Thornton picked Evander Kane up at the airport

Joe Thornton can't help the San Jose Sharks on the ice at the moment, but he's stepping up in other ways.

The veteran forward showed up to greet Evander Kane at the airport after the former Buffalo Sabres winger was traded to San Jose on Monday.

"Jumbo picked me up," Kane said of Thornton on Tuesday, according to Bay Area News Group's Curtis Pashelka. "That was real nice of him, especially with the injury that he has. It's good to see a familiar face right off the hop. A nice welcome."

Kane tallied a pair of assists in his Sharks debut Tuesday night, a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

Thornton has been out of action since Jan. 23 with a knee injury.