Athletes - Tim Thomas

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	Athletes - Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas (born April 15 1974, in Flint, Michigan) is an NHL ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the Boston Bruins. Tim was raised in nearby Davison, Michigan.

Career in North America

Thomas started his hockey career in the NCAA in 1993, playing for the University of Vermont team. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL entry draft as their #9 pick, #217 overall, but continued at Vermont until the 1997-98 season, when he played for the Birmingham Bulls in the ECHL as well as for the Houston Aeros in the IHL, and then transferred to Helsinki IFK. For the 1998-99 season, Thomas initially returned to North America, playing 15 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs, but he returned to HIFK for the rest of the season.

After 1999, Thomas played for the Detroit Vipers and AIK Solna in Sweden. In 2001 Thomas joined the Boston Bruins organization, but as there was an abundance of goalies, he ended up playing in Finland. Thomas played two subsequent seasons with the Boston Bruins organization, mainly with the Providence Bruins but also including four games in the NHL. Thomas's four NHL games for the Bruins were played during the 2002-03 season, with a save percentage of 90.7% and a result of three wins and a loss.

The 2005-2006 season has proven to be an unlikely breakout year for Thomas in the NHL. After a disappointing performance at the Bruins training camp, Thomas was assigned to the Providence Bruins in the AHL. During this time, Boston's two main goalies, Andrew Raycroft and Hannu Toivonen, were sidelined with injuries. Thus, Thomas earned his first call-up to the NHL in 3 years. During this time, he has taken over as the Bruins starting goalie, currently holding a record of 8-3-4 with 2.17 goals against average, an NHL leading 0.930 save percentage, and one shutout. Raycroft has since returned from his injuries, but due to his disappointing performance this season, is now supporting Thomas as opposed to assuming the starting role in Boston. He was signed to a 3-year deal with the bruins in March of the 2005-2006 season and will most likely be the go-to goaltender for the team.

Career in Finland

Tim Thomas first played in Finland during the 1997-98 season, as the number one goaltender for HIFK's end season. Thomas played 18 games with a save percentage of 94.7%, and the team advanced through the playoffs and went on to defeat Ilves in the finals and win the Finnish championship. Thomas returned to HIFK in the next season, playing 14 games with a save percentage of 91.7% and scoring an assist. HIFK made it to the league finals but lost to TPS, ending up with the silver medals.

Thomas's first full SM-liiga season was 2001-02 in the Oulu Kärpät. Although the team didn't get far in the playoffs, Thomas played a successful season of 32 games with a save percentage of 92.5%.

After two seasons in the Boston Bruins, Thomas joined Jokerit for the 2004-05 season. He played in all games of the season bar one, 54 games in total, and racked up the highest save percentage in the league that year, 94.59%. He also smashed the previous record of 13 shutouts in the league by achieving 15 shutouts during the regular season. His sterling performance made Thomas very popular with the fans, and he continued his streak into the playoffs, where he played 12 games with a respectable percentage of 93.84%. The team was unable to defeat Kärpät in the finals, however, and Thomas was awarded his second silver medal in SM-liiga. He received the Kultainen kypärä award (best player as voted by the players), becoming the first Jokerit player to win the award since Teemu Selänne, and the Lasse Oksanen trophy.

In August 2005, Thomas signed on to play with Jokerit for the 2005-2006 season, but his contract included an NHL option, and on September 14, one day before the regular season in the SM-liiga starts, Thomas announced he had signed with the Boston Bruins, leaving Jokerit with no goaltender except 19-year-old Joonas Hallikainen, who had never played in the SM-liiga before.

International play

Tim Thomas has represented the United States in the ice hockey World Championships four times: in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2005.

Awards

Kultainen kypärä award for best player as voted by the players - 2005
Lasse Oksanen trophy for best player of the regular season - 2005

Career statistics

Regular season

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