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Tim Thomas (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Timothy James Thomas, Jr. (born April 15, 1974) is an American professional ice hockey
goaltender
with the Boston Bruins
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). Raised in Davison, MI, Thomas played college hockey
for the University of Vermont
for four years, from 1993–1997, during which he was drafted 217th overall by the Quebec Nordiques
in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
. He played for several years in the minor leagues and Europe
, before making it to the NHL at age 28, with the Boston Bruins
. He finally emerged as the Bruins' starting goaltender at age 32. Thomas was the winner of the 2009
Vezina Trophy
as the league's best goaltender and played as a backup for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
. Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy
for Most Valuable Player
in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
. Winning it, along with the Stanley Cup
, at age 37, he became the oldest player and second American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in NHL history, after Brian Leetch
. On June 22, 2011, Tim Thomas was awarded the Vezina Trophy
for the second time in his career.
Thomas and wife Melissa have three children: daughters Kiley, born August 2000 and Kelsey, born May 2005, and son Keegan, born September 2006.
Thomas is bilingual, having learned Finnish while playing in Finland.
for the University of Vermont
, posting an 81–43–15 record to go with a 2.70 GAA and .924 save percentage. He ranks third in the NCAA Division I record book in career saves (3,950). He led the nation in save percentage in 1996 (.924) and helped UVM's Catamounts to NCAA tournament appearances in his final two seasons, including a berth in the 1996 NCAA Frozen Four (a program first). He was a two-time All-ECAC Conference selection and a two-time NCAA East All-American. He ranks first all-time amongst Vermont goalies in games played (140), wins (81) and saves (3,950). At Vermont, Thomas played on the same team as Tampa Bay Lightning
right wing Martin St. Louis
.
of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and Houston Aeros
of the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1997–98, before transferring overseas mid-season to HIFK
of the Finnish SM-Liiga
. Thomas played 18 games with a save percentage
of .947 as the team advanced through the playoffs to defeat Ilves in the finals and win the Finnish championship
. After signing with the Edmonton Oilers
on June 4, 1998, Thomas initially moved to the AHL
the following season with the Hamilton Bulldogs
, where he played 15 games, before again transferring to HIFK. Thomas recorded a .917 save percentage in 14 games as HIFK made it to the league finals once more but finished as runners-up to TPS
.
In 1999–2000, Thomas returned once again to North America to play for the Detroit Vipers
of the IHL, then spent the next season with AIK of Sweden
's Elitserien
. In 2001, #30 Thomas joined the Boston Bruins
organization, but chose to continue playing in Europe, spending his first full SM-liiga season in 2001–02 with Kärpät
of Oulu
. Although the team didn't get far in the playoffs, Thomas played a successful season of 32 games with a .925 save percentage.
, Thomas played his initial two seasons with Boston's AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins
. He made his National Hockey League
(NHL) debut with the Bruins during the 2002–03 season, appearing in four games total, with a .907 save percentage and a 3–1 record. Thomas recorded his first NHL win in his league debut with the Bruins on October 19, 2002, in a 31-save, 4–3 win against the Edmonton Oilers
.
of the SM-Liiga, his fourth stint in Finland
. He played in all games of the season except one, 54 games in total, and racked up a league-high .946 save percentage. He also surpassed the previous record of 13 shutout
s in the league by achieving 15 shutouts during the regular season. Thomas continued to perform in the playoffs, where he played 12 games with a .938 save percentage. The team was unable to defeat Kärpät in the finals, however, and Thomas was awarded his second silver medal in the SM-liiga. He received the Lasse Oksanen trophy
(as the league's best player) and the Kultainen kypärä
award (as the league's best player award as voted by the players), becoming the first Jokerit
player to win the award since Teemu Selänne
.
as their sole goaltender. Eventually Jokerit used three North American goaltenders (Karl Goehring
, Steve Passmore
and Tom Askey
) that season but missed the playoffs.
When he returned to North America, he was assigned to Providence of the AHL out of training camp. However, as Boston suffered injuries to their two goalies Andrew Raycroft
and Hannu Toivonen
, Thomas earned his first call-up to the NHL in three years and took over as the Bruins starting goalie, completing the 2005–06 season with a 12–13–7 record, 2.77 goals against average
(GAA), .917 save percentage and his first NHL shutout
. As a result, Thomas was awarded the Boston Bruins 7th Player Award, voted by the fans as having gone beyond expectations. In the off-season, Thomas was re-signed by the Bruins to a three-year deal.
, was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the off-season, Thomas began the 2006–07 season as the Bruins' backup, behind Hannu Toivonen
instead. However, as Toivonen struggled, Thomas was again promoted as the Bruins' starting goaltender, eventually posting a 30–29–4 record with a .904 save percentage. He won the 7th Player Award for the second consecutive season and became the first goalie in team history to win the award twice.
During the summer of 2007, Thomas began a yoga-based physical conditioning program to increase his flexibility and strength, a concept that would greatly increase his abilities during the 2007–08 NHL season and onwards.
On July 1, 2007, the Bruins acquired goaltender Manny Fernandez
from the Minnesota Wild
and later traded Thomas' previous backup, Toivonen, to the St. Louis Blues. Many hockey analysts presumed that Thomas would support Fernandez as a backup goaltender once again for the 2007–08 season. However, as Fernandez went down to injury early in the season, Thomas seized the opportunity and once again emerged as the Bruins' starting goalie. He was selected for his first NHL All-Star Game
on January 22, 2008 as a replacement for Martin Brodeur
and played in the third period of the game, stopping 14 of 18 shots. Thomas was credited with the win, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 8–7.
Early in the 2008–09 season
, Thomas became the first Bruins goalie to record back-to-back shutouts since Byron Dafoe
in 1999, winning 1–0 games against the Edmonton Oilers
on October 27, 2008 and the Vancouver Canucks
on October 28. His overall shutout streak came to end the next game at 154:43 minutes against the Calgary Flames
on October 30. In late November, Thomas missed a few games due to an illness. He was chosen to play in his second All-Star Game
in 2009 and was once again the winning goaltender for the Eastern Conference, beating the Western Conference 12–11 in a shootout (the first time the All-Star Game required the tie-breaker since 2005). A month later, on February 26, 2009, Thomas recorded his 100th NHL win, in a 6–0 shutout against the Anaheim Ducks
.
, clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference
, Boston's first title since 2001–02. His strong play allowed the Bruins to sweep the Montreal Canadiens
in the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs
, but the Bruins bowed out to the Carolina Hurricanes
in seven games in Round 2.
On June 18, 2009, Thomas was awarded the Vezina Trophy
at the NHL awards, beating out Minnesota Wild netminder Niklas Bäckström
and the Blue Jackets' rookie goaltender Steve Mason
. He led the NHL with his 2.10 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
Thomas started for the Bruins in the 3rd NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2010. The game, held at Fenway Park
in Boston
, resulted in a 2–1 overtime victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers
. But Thomas suffered a drop-off in form during the regular season, posting just a 17–18–8 record, albeit with a still-strong 2.56 GAA. He did not play at all in the playoffs, as Tuukka Rask
played all the games for Boston. The Bruins won their Conference quarter-final series, and led the Philadelphia Flyers three games to none in the Conference semi-final. But Boston then lost the next four games to drop the series; the Flyers became just the third team in NHL history (after the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders) to win a series after losing the first three games.
Named to his third straight NHL All-Star Game in 2011 – the game was not played in 2010 due to the Winter Olympics – Thomas became the first goaltender in league history to earn the win in three consecutive All-Star Games.
's record of .937, with a .938 percentage. On Friday, April 22, 2011, Thomas was named a finalist for the 2010–2011 Vezina Trophy, which he won on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.
On Friday, May 27, 2011, Thomas posted a shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, sending the Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup appearance since 1990. In the Finals, Thomas again posted a shutout victory in Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks. He was selected as the Conn Smythe Trophy
winner, being only the second American-born NHL player to ever win the award, and the first in 17 years. During the Bruins' playoff run, he set the record for most saves in a single postseason with 798 and the most saves in a Stanley Cup series with 238, and broke Frank McCool
's 66-year old record of fewest goals allowed in a 7-game Stanley Cup Finals, allowing only eight goals total (for an all-time record .967 save percentage in the Stanley Cup Finals). Thomas also became the first goaltender ever to post a shutout in a Game 7 on the road. At 37 years, 62 days, Thomas is the oldest recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, the first American-born winner of the trophy since Brian Leetch
in 1994, and the first American-born goaltender to win the award.
career with the University of Vermont
, he was named to Team USA twice for the World Championships. Following his sophomore year, he was chosen for the 1995 World Championships
, but did not appear in any games as the United States finished in sixth place. He was chosen for the tournament for the second consecutive year in 1996
and made his international debut, playing in 21 minutes for one game, allowing one goal. Thomas picked up his first medal as the United States won bronze.
After graduating from the college program, Thomas was named to Team USA for the 1998 World Championships
following his rookie professional season and played his first full international game. However, the United States finished a disappointing twelfth. Thomas would not make another World Championships appearance until 2005
, where he was named to Team USA in another limited role, not appearing in any games behind starter Rick DiPietro
as they failed to earn a medal.
Established as an NHL
starter following the 2007–08 NHL season, Thomas was named to his fifth World Championships in 2008
. He appeared in three games before suffering a groin injury, splitting starts with Robert Esche
and posting a 1.50 GAA with one shutout against Latvia in the preliminaries. Team USA finished in sixth place.
On January 1, 2010, Thomas was selected to be a member of the U.S. men's hockey team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
.
On February 26, 2010, Thomas made his Olympic debut in the USA – Finland semifinal, entering the game with approximately 11:30 remaining in the 3rd period and a 6–0 lead. He replaced Ryan Miller
to prevent any chance of injury to the American starter.
Source: Tim Thomas on HockeyGoalies.org
SM-Liiga
NHL
Other
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Raised in Davison, MI, Thomas played college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
for the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
for four years, from 1993–1997, during which he was drafted 217th overall by the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. He played for several years in the minor leagues and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, before making it to the NHL at age 28, with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. He finally emerged as the Bruins' starting goaltender at age 32. Thomas was the winner of the 2009
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
as the league's best goaltender and played as a backup for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
for Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
. Winning it, along with the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, at age 37, he became the oldest player and second American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in NHL history, after Brian Leetch
Brian Leetch
Brian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
. On June 22, 2011, Tim Thomas was awarded the Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
for the second time in his career.
Personal life
Thomas grew up around Amityville, a suburb of Flint, and graduated from Davison High School. In order to pay for his hockey tournaments, his parents Tim Sr. and Kathy sold their wedding rings.Thomas and wife Melissa have three children: daughters Kiley, born August 2000 and Kelsey, born May 2005, and son Keegan, born September 2006.
Thomas is bilingual, having learned Finnish while playing in Finland.
College hockey
Thomas played four seasons (1993–97) of college hockeyCollege hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
for the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, posting an 81–43–15 record to go with a 2.70 GAA and .924 save percentage. He ranks third in the NCAA Division I record book in career saves (3,950). He led the nation in save percentage in 1996 (.924) and helped UVM's Catamounts to NCAA tournament appearances in his final two seasons, including a berth in the 1996 NCAA Frozen Four (a program first). He was a two-time All-ECAC Conference selection and a two-time NCAA East All-American. He ranks first all-time amongst Vermont goalies in games played (140), wins (81) and saves (3,950). At Vermont, Thomas played on the same team as Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
right wing Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
Early pro years
Completing his four-year tenure at Vermont, Thomas played briefly for the Birmingham BullsBirmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
of the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1997–98, before transferring overseas mid-season to HIFK
HIFK (ice hockey)
HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...
of the Finnish SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
. Thomas played 18 games with a save percentage
Save percentage
Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops...
of .947 as the team advanced through the playoffs to defeat Ilves in the finals and win the Finnish championship
Kanada-malja
The Kanada-malja is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the SM-liiga playoffs champion. Kanada-malja is Finnish for "Canada Cup", and is so named because it was donated by Canada's Finnish community in 1951....
. After signing with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
on June 4, 1998, Thomas initially moved to the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
the following season with the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
, where he played 15 games, before again transferring to HIFK. Thomas recorded a .917 save percentage in 14 games as HIFK made it to the league finals once more but finished as runners-up to TPS
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
.
In 1999–2000, Thomas returned once again to North America to play for the Detroit Vipers
Detroit Vipers
The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:...
of the IHL, then spent the next season with AIK of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
. In 2001, #30 Thomas joined the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
organization, but chose to continue playing in Europe, spending his first full SM-liiga season in 2001–02 with Kärpät
Kärpät
Oulun Kärpät is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga based in Oulu, Finland. Their logo features a stoat ; "kärpät" is Finnish for stoats or ermines. The team has won five league championships .-History:...
of Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
. Although the team didn't get far in the playoffs, Thomas played a successful season of 32 games with a .925 save percentage.
AHL seasons, NHL debut
Beginning in 2002–032002–03 AHL season
The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season...
, Thomas played his initial two seasons with Boston's AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins
Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
. He made his National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) debut with the Bruins during the 2002–03 season, appearing in four games total, with a .907 save percentage and a 3–1 record. Thomas recorded his first NHL win in his league debut with the Bruins on October 19, 2002, in a 31-save, 4–3 win against the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
.
Return to Finland
As a result of the one-season duration NHL lockout in North America, in 2004–05 Thomas joined JokeritJokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
of the SM-Liiga, his fourth stint in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He played in all games of the season except one, 54 games in total, and racked up a league-high .946 save percentage. He also surpassed the previous record of 13 shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s in the league by achieving 15 shutouts during the regular season. Thomas continued to perform in the playoffs, where he played 12 games with a .938 save percentage. The team was unable to defeat Kärpät in the finals, however, and Thomas was awarded his second silver medal in the SM-liiga. He received the Lasse Oksanen trophy
Lasse Oksanen trophy
The Lasse Oksanen trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player of the season during regular season play.Trophy winners:1948-49: Unto Wiitala 1953-54: Unto Wiitala...
(as the league's best player) and the Kultainen kypärä
Kultainen kypärä
Kultainen kypärä is an ice hockey award given to the best player in the Finnish SM-liiga. It is the most appreciated of the awards, as it is voted for by the players. It has been awarded since 1987....
award (as the league's best player award as voted by the players), becoming the first Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
player to win the award since Teemu Selänne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
.
2005-2006
In August 2005, Thomas signed to play with Jokerit for the 2005–06 season, but his contract included an NHL option and on September 14, one day before the regular season in the SM-liiga started, Thomas announced he had signed with the Boston Bruins, leaving Jokerit with rookie goaltender Joonas HallikainenJoonas Hallikainen
Joonas Hallikainen is a Finnish ice hockey goaltender.Hallikainen has played with the Jokerit junior team, and has represented Team Finland in international play. When netminder Pasi Häkkinen left for Denmark after the 2004-2005 season, Hallikainen became the Jokerit #2 goalie in the SM-liiga...
as their sole goaltender. Eventually Jokerit used three North American goaltenders (Karl Goehring
Karl Goehring
Karl Goehring is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender, who is currently an assistant coach with the Syracuse Crunch. He led Apple Valley High School to a win in the 1996 Minnesota State High School League Boys' Hockey Tournament...
, Steve Passmore
Steve Passmore
Steve Passmore is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their ninth-round pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft....
and Tom Askey
Tom Askey
Tom Askey is an American professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim as their eighth-round pick, #186 overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:...
) that season but missed the playoffs.
When he returned to North America, he was assigned to Providence of the AHL out of training camp. However, as Boston suffered injuries to their two goalies Andrew Raycroft
Andrew Raycroft
Andrew Joseph Ernest Raycroft is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins 135th overall in 1998, he won the Calder Trophy with the club in 2004 as rookie of the year...
and Hannu Toivonen
Hannu Toivonen
Hannu Pekka Toivonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Malmö Redhawks in the HockeyAllsvenskan.-Professional:Toivonen started his pro career with HPK in the Finnish SM-liiga...
, Thomas earned his first call-up to the NHL in three years and took over as the Bruins starting goalie, completing the 2005–06 season with a 12–13–7 record, 2.77 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
(GAA), .917 save percentage and his first NHL shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
. As a result, Thomas was awarded the Boston Bruins 7th Player Award, voted by the fans as having gone beyond expectations. In the off-season, Thomas was re-signed by the Bruins to a three-year deal.
2006-2008
Although Boston's previous starter, Andrew RaycroftAndrew Raycroft
Andrew Joseph Ernest Raycroft is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins 135th overall in 1998, he won the Calder Trophy with the club in 2004 as rookie of the year...
, was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the off-season, Thomas began the 2006–07 season as the Bruins' backup, behind Hannu Toivonen
Hannu Toivonen
Hannu Pekka Toivonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Malmö Redhawks in the HockeyAllsvenskan.-Professional:Toivonen started his pro career with HPK in the Finnish SM-liiga...
instead. However, as Toivonen struggled, Thomas was again promoted as the Bruins' starting goaltender, eventually posting a 30–29–4 record with a .904 save percentage. He won the 7th Player Award for the second consecutive season and became the first goalie in team history to win the award twice.
During the summer of 2007, Thomas began a yoga-based physical conditioning program to increase his flexibility and strength, a concept that would greatly increase his abilities during the 2007–08 NHL season and onwards.
Emmanuel Fernandez
Emmanuel Fernandez is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League with the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and the Boston Bruins.- Playing career :...
from the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and later traded Thomas' previous backup, Toivonen, to the St. Louis Blues. Many hockey analysts presumed that Thomas would support Fernandez as a backup goaltender once again for the 2007–08 season. However, as Fernandez went down to injury early in the season, Thomas seized the opportunity and once again emerged as the Bruins' starting goalie. He was selected for his first NHL All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
on January 22, 2008 as a replacement for Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
and played in the third period of the game, stopping 14 of 18 shots. Thomas was credited with the win, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 8–7.
Early in the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, Thomas became the first Bruins goalie to record back-to-back shutouts since Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe is a British-Canadian former National Hockey League goaltender. He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England and moved to Duncan, British Columbia with his mother at the age of two months old. Between 1992 and 2004, he played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings...
in 1999, winning 1–0 games against the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
on October 27, 2008 and the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
on October 28. His overall shutout streak came to end the next game at 154:43 minutes against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
on October 30. In late November, Thomas missed a few games due to an illness. He was chosen to play in his second All-Star Game
57th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 57th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, home of the Montreal Canadiens, in conjunction with the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. The game was held between two teams, each representing a conference of the National Hockey League...
in 2009 and was once again the winning goaltender for the Eastern Conference, beating the Western Conference 12–11 in a shootout (the first time the All-Star Game required the tie-breaker since 2005). A month later, on February 26, 2009, Thomas recorded his 100th NHL win, in a 6–0 shutout against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
2008-2010
On April 2, 2009 Thomas agreed to a four-year extension with the Bruins, through the 2012–13 season. The contract will see him make $6 million the first two seasons, then $5 million and $3 million the final two seasons for an average annual salary of $5 million. Two days later, on April 4, he posted his career-high fifth shutout of the season in a 1–0 win against the New York RangersNew York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NHL)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
, Boston's first title since 2001–02. His strong play allowed the Bruins to sweep the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2009 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 15, 2009, after the 2008–09 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference , play a best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and...
, but the Bruins bowed out to the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
in seven games in Round 2.
On June 18, 2009, Thomas was awarded the Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
at the NHL awards, beating out Minnesota Wild netminder Niklas Bäckström
Niklas Bäckström
Niklas Oskar Bäckström is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . He has won both William M. Jennings Trophy and Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award...
and the Blue Jackets' rookie goaltender Steve Mason
Steve Mason (ice hockey)
Steve Mason is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League . He was selected 69th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Blue Jackets. Playing major junior in the Ontario Hockey League , he spent three seasons...
. He led the NHL with his 2.10 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
Thomas started for the Bruins in the 3rd NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2010. The game, held at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, resulted in a 2–1 overtime victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. But Thomas suffered a drop-off in form during the regular season, posting just a 17–18–8 record, albeit with a still-strong 2.56 GAA. He did not play at all in the playoffs, as Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Mikael Rask is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League . Rask was drafted 21st overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs...
played all the games for Boston. The Bruins won their Conference quarter-final series, and led the Philadelphia Flyers three games to none in the Conference semi-final. But Boston then lost the next four games to drop the series; the Flyers became just the third team in NHL history (after the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders) to win a series after losing the first three games.
Named to his third straight NHL All-Star Game in 2011 – the game was not played in 2010 due to the Winter Olympics – Thomas became the first goaltender in league history to earn the win in three consecutive All-Star Games.
2010-2011 and Stanley Cup win
In the 2010–2011 season, following off-season hip surgery during the summer of 2010, Tim Thomas broke the NHL record for save percentage, beating Dominik HasekDominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...
's record of .937, with a .938 percentage. On Friday, April 22, 2011, Thomas was named a finalist for the 2010–2011 Vezina Trophy, which he won on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.
On Friday, May 27, 2011, Thomas posted a shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, sending the Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup appearance since 1990. In the Finals, Thomas again posted a shutout victory in Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks. He was selected as the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
winner, being only the second American-born NHL player to ever win the award, and the first in 17 years. During the Bruins' playoff run, he set the record for most saves in a single postseason with 798 and the most saves in a Stanley Cup series with 238, and broke Frank McCool
Frank McCool
Francis McCool was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. He was born in Calgary, Alberta.-Playing career:...
's 66-year old record of fewest goals allowed in a 7-game Stanley Cup Finals, allowing only eight goals total (for an all-time record .967 save percentage in the Stanley Cup Finals). Thomas also became the first goaltender ever to post a shutout in a Game 7 on the road. At 37 years, 62 days, Thomas is the oldest recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, the first American-born winner of the trophy since Brian Leetch
Brian Leetch
Brian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
in 1994, and the first American-born goaltender to win the award.
International play
During Thomas' collegeCollege hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
career with the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, he was named to Team USA twice for the World Championships. Following his sophomore year, he was chosen for the 1995 World Championships
1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was played in Stockholm and Gavle Sweden, from April 23rd to May the 7th, 1995. In the tournament finals, Finland won the gold medal by winning over Sweden 4-1 at the Globen arena in Stockholm. The Finnish goals were scored by Timo Jutila and Ville...
, but did not appear in any games as the United States finished in sixth place. He was chosen for the tournament for the second consecutive year in 1996
1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Austria was relegated to Group B.- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :...
and made his international debut, playing in 21 minutes for one game, allowing one goal. Thomas picked up his first medal as the United States won bronze.
After graduating from the college program, Thomas was named to Team USA for the 1998 World Championships
1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :...
following his rookie professional season and played his first full international game. However, the United States finished a disappointing twelfth. Thomas would not make another World Championships appearance until 2005
2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico...
, where he was named to Team USA in another limited role, not appearing in any games behind starter Rick DiPietro
Rick DiPietro
Rick DiPietro, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He was the first overall selection by the Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft....
as they failed to earn a medal.
Established as an NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
starter following the 2007–08 NHL season, Thomas was named to his fifth World Championships in 2008
2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
. He appeared in three games before suffering a groin injury, splitting starts with Robert Esche
Robert Esche
Robert L. Esche is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for SCL Tigers of National League A.-Playing career:...
and posting a 1.50 GAA with one shutout against Latvia in the preliminaries. Team USA finished in sixth place.
On January 1, 2010, Thomas was selected to be a member of the U.S. men's hockey team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
.
On February 26, 2010, Thomas made his Olympic debut in the USA – Finland semifinal, entering the game with approximately 11:30 remaining in the 3rd period and a 6–0 lead. He replaced Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...
to prevent any chance of injury to the American starter.
Awards
College- Named to the ECAC First All-Star Team in 1995 and 1996.
- Named to the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
East All-American Second Team in 1995. - Named to the NCAA East All-American First Team in 1996.
Source: Tim Thomas on HockeyGoalies.org
SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
- Awarded the Urpo Ylönen trophyUrpo Ylönen trophyThe Urpo Ylönen trophy is an ice hockey award given by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best goalie of the season.Trophy winners:1977-78: Antero Kivelä 1978-79: Jorma Valtonen 1979-80: Jorma Valtonen 1980-81: Hannu Kamppuri...
(best goaltender) in 1998. - Awarded the Kultainen kypäräKultainen kypäräKultainen kypärä is an ice hockey award given to the best player in the Finnish SM-liiga. It is the most appreciated of the awards, as it is voted for by the players. It has been awarded since 1987....
award (best player as voted by the players) in 2005. - Awarded the Lasse Oksanen trophyLasse Oksanen trophyThe Lasse Oksanen trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player of the season during regular season play.Trophy winners:1948-49: Unto Wiitala 1953-54: Unto Wiitala...
(best player) in 2005 - first non-European to win the award.
NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
- Played in the All-Star GameNational Hockey League All-Star GameThe National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
in 200856th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 56th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on January 27, 2008 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, home of the Atlanta Thrashers, during the 2007–08 NHL season....
, 200957th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 57th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, home of the Montreal Canadiens, in conjunction with the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. The game was held between two teams, each representing a conference of the National Hockey League...
and 201158th National Hockey League All-Star GameThe 58th National Hockey League All-Star Game, also known as the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Game presented by Discover, was the National Hockey League’s annual All-Star game played on January 30, 2011. The game took place during the 2010–11 NHL season at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North... - 2009 William M. Jennings TrophyWilliam M. Jennings TrophyThe William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League award given to "the goalkeeper having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it. Winners are selected based on regular-season play." From 1946 until 1981, the Vezina Trophy had been awarded...
Winner along with teammate Manny Fernandez for fewest goals allowed by team goaltenders - 2009 Roger Crozier Saving Grace AwardRoger Crozier Saving Grace AwardThe Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/Mastercard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, is an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the National Hockey League . Only goaltenders who played 25...
Winner for best save percentage amongst NHL goaltenders (minimum 25 games started) – .933 - 2009 and 2011 Vezina TrophyVezina TrophyThe Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
Winner of the NHL's top goaltender award - Named to the NHL First All-Star TeamNHL All-Star TeamThe NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
in 2009 and 2011. - 2011 Roger Crozier Saving Grace AwardRoger Crozier Saving Grace AwardThe Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/Mastercard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, is an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the National Hockey League . Only goaltenders who played 25...
Winner for best save percentage amongst NHL goaltenders (minimum 25 games started) – .938 (all-time record) - 2011 Conn Smythe TrophyConn Smythe TrophyThe Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
winner - 2011 Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
winner - First goaltender to win the Stanley Cup, Vezina, and Conn Smythe trophies in the same season since Bernie ParentBernie ParentBernard Marcel Parent , better known as Bernie Parent, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs, and also spent one season in the World Hockey Association with the...
for the season, and Thomas also won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace AwardRoger Crozier Saving Grace AwardThe Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, officially billed as the MBNA/Mastercard Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award, is an award in ice hockey given annually to the goaltender who finished the regular season with the best save percentage in the National Hockey League . Only goaltenders who played 25...
in the same season as the Stanley Cup, Vezina, and Conn Smythe wins, becoming the first goaltender to accomplish that feat in one season.
Other
- 2011 ESPYEspy-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
award winner, Best NHL PlayerBest NHL Player ESPY AwardThe Best NHL Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the National Hockey League player, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, typically most significantly in the NHL season contested during or immediately prior to the holding of the ESPY... - 2011 ESPYEspy-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
award winner, Best Championship PerformanceBest Championship Performance ESPY AwardThe Best Championship Performance ESPY Award was presented in 2001 and has been presented annually since 2004 to the sportsperson, irrespective of nationality, gender, or sport contested, adjudged to have given the best performance in a single championship game, series, or tournament played in a...
Hockey camps
- Tim Thomas runs several ice hockey camps in the Northeast United States during the NHL off-season for both goaltenders and skaters.
Regular season
Figures in boldface italics are NHL records.| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | W | L | T/OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | Davison High School | MHSAA | 27 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 1580 | 87 | 9 | 3.30 | .926 |
| 1993–94 | Vermont Catamounts | NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... |
33 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 1864 | 94 | 0 | 3.03 | — |
| 1994–95 | Vermont Catamounts | NCAA | 34 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 2010 | 90 | 4 | 2.69 | — |
| 1995–96 | Vermont Catamounts | NCAA | 37 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 2254 | 88 | 3 | 2.34 | .924 |
| 1996–97 | Vermont Catamounts | NCAA | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 2158 | 101 | 2 | 2.81 | — |
| 1997–98 | HIFK HIFK (ice hockey) HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897... |
SM-l SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1034 | 28 | 2 | 1.62 | — |
| 1997–98 1997–98 ECHL season The 1997-98 ECHL season was the tenth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the league saw the Knoxville Cherokees move to Florence, SC and welcomed expansion teams in New Orleans, LA and Upper Marlboro, MD... |
Birmingham Bulls Birmingham Bulls (ECHL) The Birmingham Bulls were a minor professional ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League from 1992 to 2001. Their home arena was the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. The team moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey and was renamed the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2001... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 360 | 13 | 1 | 2.17 | .944 |
| 1997–98 | Houston Aeros Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :... |
IHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 4 | 0 | 4.01 | .852 |
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Hamilton Bulldogs Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
15 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 837 | 45 | 0 | 3.23 | — |
| 1998–99 | HIFK | SM-l | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 831 | 34 | 2 | 2.23 | — |
| 1999–00 | Detroit Vipers Detroit Vipers The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:... |
IHL | 36 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 2020 | 120 | 1 | 3.56 | .892 |
| 2000–01 | AIK | SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
43 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 2542 | 105 | 3 | 2,48 | .918 |
| 2001–02 | Kärpät Kärpät Oulun Kärpät is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga based in Oulu, Finland. Their logo features a stoat ; "kärpät" is Finnish for stoats or ermines. The team has won five league championships .-History:... |
SM-l | 32 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 1937 | 79 | 4 | 2.45 | — |
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Providence Bruins Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:... |
AHL | 35 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 2049 | 98 | 1 | 2.87 | .906 |
| 2002–03 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 220 | 11 | 0 | 3.00 | .907 |
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Providence Bruins | AHL | 43 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 2544 | 78 | 9 | 1.84 | .941 |
| 2004–05 | Jokerit Jokerit Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships... |
SM-l | 54 | 34 | 7 | 13 | 3267 | 86 | 15 | 1.58 | .946 |
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Providence Bruins | AHL | 26 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 1515 | 57 | 1 | 2.26 | .923 |
| 2005–06 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 38 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 2187 | 101 | 1 | 2.77 | .917 |
| 2006–07 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 66 | 30 | 29 | 4 | 3619 | 189 | 3 | 3.13 | .905 |
| 2007–08 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 57 | 28 | 19 | 6 | 3342 | 136 | 3 | 2.44 | .921 |
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 54 | 36 | 11 | 7 | 3259 | 114 | 5 | 2.10 | .933 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 43 | 17 | 18 | 8 | 2442 | 104 | 5 | 2.56 | .915 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 57 | 35 | 11 | 9 | 3364 | 112 | 9 | 2.00 | .938 |
| NHL totals | 319 | 161 | 102 | 44 | 18,432 | 767 | 26 | 2.50 | .922 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | HIFK | SM-l | 9 | 9 | 0 | — | 551 | 14 | 3 | 1.52 | — |
| 1998–99 | HIFK | SM-l | 11 | 7 | 4 | — | 658 | 25 | 0 | 2.28 | — |
| 2000–01 | AIK | SEL | 5 | 1 | 4 | — | 299 | 20 | 0 | 4.00 | .875 |
| 2001–02 | Kärpät | SM-l | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 180 | 12 | 0 | 4.00 | — |
| 2003–04 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | — | 84 | 10 | 0 | 7.13 | — |
| 2004–05 | Jokerit | SM-l | 12 | 8 | 4 | — | 720 | 22 | 0 | 1.83 | — |
| 2007–08 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 430 | 19 | 0 | 2.65 | .914 |
| 2008–09 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 680 | 21 | 1 | 1.85 | .935 |
| 2010–11 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 25 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 1542 | 51 | 4 | 1.98 | .940 |
| NHL totals | 43 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 2652 | 91 | 5 | 2.06 | .936 | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Austria was relegated to Group B.- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :... |
United States | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
1 | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2.86 | |
| 1998 1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :... |
United States | WC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 2 | 0 | 2.06 | |
| 1999 1999 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -World Championship Group C:Played at Eindhoven and Tilburg, Netherlands April 5–11. Yugoslavia was supposed to particpate in this tournament, but was prevented by the host Dutch government.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Final Round 25-28 Place:... |
United States | WC | 2 | — | — | — | 98 | 7 | 0 | 4.25 | |
| 2008 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition... |
United States | WC | 3 | — | — | — | 160 | 4 | 1 | 1.50 | |
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
United States | Oly Ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5.21 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 8 | — | — | — | 349 | 15 | 1 | 2.58 | |||