[8u-dev] RFA: JDK-8064811: Use THREAD instead of CHECK_NULL in return statements

[Hohensee, Paul]

Please approve a backport of JDK-8064811 to 8u.

JBS: https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8064811
Webrev: http://cr.openjdk.java.net/~phh/8064811/webrev.00/
Review thread: http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/hotspot-dev/2014-November/016018.html

The patch applies cleanly net of line numbers, copyright notice dates, and code that exists in JDK9 but not in JDK8.

It builds and runs jdk8 hotspot jtreg tests on a linux x64 host, which is the only one to which I have access. If needed, would someone please run it through JPRT?

Thanks,

Paul