Ya kasance 50th overall da Buffalo Sabres a cikin
2001 NHL shigar da daftarin aiki. Koyaya, bayan ya koma OHL don kakar 2001-2002, an sayar da Centennials zuwa Saginaw kuma ya raba lokacinsa tsakanin Saginaw Spirit da Plymouth Whalers. A ranar 2 ga Disamba, 2005, Thorburn ya fara buga wasan NHL a wasan da San Jose Sharks ya yi nasara da 5-0 kuma ya yi rikodin wasan NHL na farko a wasan da ya yi da Colorado Avalanche. An dawo da shi zuwa Kungiyar Hockey ta Amurka a ranar 7 ga Disamba, bayan ya buga wasanni biyu.