CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — The only thing that’s noticeably different is the beard. It’s grown out, more unkempt, perhaps getting a bit grayer with each passing year.

Otherwise, it’s just about impossible to tell right now that Sharks center Joe Thornton is 36 years old and in his 18th season in the NHL.

“I don’t think Joe Thornton is going to have any problem to play, if he wanted to, to my age,” Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, 44, said Wednesday. “It’s totally up to him.”

Over the last two months, Thornton has at least one point in 24 of his past 26 games, with eight goals and 26 assists. Before Wednesday, he had moved up to 14th in the NHL in scoring with 50 points, three back of teammate Joe Pavelski and one point ahead of Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.

The average age of the 13 players ahead of him in the scoring race is 26, with most in the prime of their careers. At 31, Pavelski is the only player ahead of Thornton in scoring who is in his thirties.

Most importantly, Thornton’s play and production over the last 10 weeks has helped the Sharks charge back into a playoff position. Going into Thursday’s game against the Atlantic Division-leading Panthers, the Sharks are one point back of second-place Anaheim in the Pacific Division, and seven points ahead of fourth-place Arizona.

“It should,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said when asked if Thornton’s play has inspired his teammates. “I mean my God, when this guy shows up to the rink and he’s the most energetic guy in the room and he’s played for 20 years almost, it should inspire you.”

In 2014-15, the season after he was stripped of the Sharks captaincy, Thornton had 65 points in 78 games, a more than respectable sum in today’s NHL with its tight checking and exceptional goaltending. He finished third on the Sharks in scoring, and in a tie for 26th leaguewide.

Still, it wasn’t quite what fans were used to seeing from the future Hockey Hall of Famer.

Barring injury or collapse, Thornton will blow by that total over the last 27 games.

If he reaches 70 points for the 12th time in his career, Thornton, according to quanthockey.com, will be only the 24th time a 36-year-old will have had at least 70 points in a season, with the most recent being Martin St. Louis in 2011-12 (74).

“He’s so consistent and smart. He thinks the game way better and way faster than a lot of guys,” said Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell, who has known Thornton and his family since he was 7. “You look at his whole career, he’s been fairly consistent. I don’t think anybody should be surprised.”

Thornton’s love for the game and his arduous preparation, both in the summer and between games, never went away. Neither did his skating nor his ability to control and protect the puck.

The biggest difference might be the amount of depth the Sharks have up front. Not many teams have been able to match up at even strength against three centers like Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture. When Couture was out, missing 23 of the first 26 games, the Sharks offense, including Thornton, struggled.

Of course, having the third-ranked power play in the NHL doesn’t hurt, with Thornton picking up 18 of his points with the man advantage.

Thornton will credit his linemates, as he’s done throughout his career, and as he did Tuesday when he assisted on goals by Pavelski and Melker Karlsson. Since Tomas Hertl joined the Sharks’ top line, Thornton has 21 points in 17 games.

“For a passer, it’s nice the way guys are finishing right now,” Thornton said. “Melky, what a shot he had, and Pavs, what a shot. We’re just working for our chances, and right now, they’re going in the back of the net for us.”

DeBoer and his staff also have made sure to give his veteran players the rest they need between games. Wednesday, for instance, the Sharks stayed off their skates, opting for off-ice workouts instead.

“I just think he’s playing at as high a level as I’ve ever seen him,” DeBoer said. “His work ethic away from the puck, how honest he plays the game, how committed he is, how prepared he is, I can’t imagine many guys out there that are doing that at his age.”

It’s a short list, with Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin, 35, among the NHL’s top 25 in scoring with 46 points this season. Jagr has 40 points.

Jagr, who had 71 points in 2007-08, the season he turned 36, said of Thornton: “He’s so big, he’s got long reach, he’s skating very well, and he’s so strong on the boards. He’s just playing the game like not many guys play.”

For more on the Sharks, see the Working the Corners blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks. Follow Curtis Pashelka on Twitter at twitter.com/CurtisPashelka.