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Tim ThomasAmerican professional ice hockey player, goaltender
Date of Birth: 15.04.1974
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Tim Thomas
Timothy Thomas Jr., an American professional ice hockey player, was born on April 15, 1974, in Davison, Michigan, USA. He grew up in Flint, Michigan, and played for the University of Vermont's ice hockey team from 1993 to 1997. In the 1994 NHL Draft, Tim was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the ninth round as the 217th overall pick.
Early Career
After being drafted, Thomas played in minor and European leagues for several years before becoming a goaltender for the Boston Bruins. Alongside Manny Fernandez, the Bruins' other goaltender, Thomas currently holds the William M. Jennings Trophy, awarded to the goaltenders of the team that allows the fewest goals in the regular season. Thomas has been selected twice to participate in the NHL All-Star Game and won the Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender in 2009.
International Career
During his college career at the University of Vermont, Thomas represented the United States in the World Championships twice. He was initially selected to play in the 1995 World Championships but did not participate, as the US finished in sixth place. However, Thomas made his international debut in 1996, playing 21 minutes in one game and winning a bronze medal with the United States. He was then named to the US national team for the 1998 World Championships but the team finished in a disappointing 12th place.
Professional Career
Until 2005, Thomas was not able to play in the World Championships due to his NHL commitments. Starting in the 2007-2008 season, he participated in his fifth World Championships in 2008. Throughout his career, Thomas also had brief stints with the Birmingham Bulls of the Eastern Hockey League and the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League in 1997-1998. He then played for HIFK in Helsinki, Finland, winning the Finnish championship before signing with the Edmonton Oilers in 1998. However, Thomas returned to North America in the 1999-2000 season, playing for the Detroit Vipers. In the following season, he joined AIK in Sweden, becoming a fan favorite and a key player who led the team to the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Later Career
In the 2004-2005 season, Thomas played for Jokerit in the Finnish SM-Liiga. He appeared in all but one game, playing 54 games and maintaining a high save percentage of 0.946. Although Jokerit did not win the championship, Thomas earned 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, voted by the players, becoming the first Jokerit player to receive these honors since Teemu Selanne.
Remaining an active player in subsequent years, Thomas agreed to stay with the Boston Bruins until the 2012-2013 season, signing a contract with an average annual salary of $5 million. Thomas is nicknamed "The Tank" for his strong and resilient playing style.
