He isn’t the loudest guy in the room. He doesn’t look like an NHL All-Star and Vezina Trophy winner. He looks like an average guy on the street, except for the bushy red beard. But the Boston Bruins have rallied around Tim Thomas. He is their emotional leader.
By now, you know Thomas’ story. The 217th draft pick in 1994, the years spent in the minors and in Finland, the role as backup or temporary fill-in on the Bruins. But what Andrew Raycroft, Hannu Toivonen and Manny Fernandez — just three of the netminders expected to start — couldn’t do, Thomas could.
He was one of the few bright spots on a bad team in 2006-07, and was rewarded with the 7th Player Award, voted on by the fans and given to the player who most exceeds expectations. Mike O’Connell, the GM at the time, gave Thomas a three-year contract in one of his last acts as Bruins GM, solidifying Thomas’ spot in the Bruins organization.
The next season, he played superbly and was voted to the NHL All-Star Game for the first time. He got the win for the Eastern Conference. Thomas led the Bruins to the playoffs, but they lost in seven games to Montreal in the first round. Thomas and Fernandez shared the William Jennings Trophy that year for allowing the fewest goals of any team in the league.
Thomas continued his great play the next season, getting the All-Star Game win again and winning the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the league. But last season, Thomas lost his starting job to rookie sensation Tuukka Rask. Thomas, it turned out, had injured his hip, and was limited in his range of motion. Thomas had offseason surgery before this season and came into training camp healthy.
Rask started the first game of the season against the Phoenix Coyotes, which took place in Prague. The Bruins lost the game 5-2, and Thomas got the start the next day. The Bruins won 3-0, with Thomas getting the shutout.
Thomas never looked back, putting up a regular-season record .938 save percentage. He is the favorite to win his second Vezina Trophy. Without Tim Thomas in goal, the Boston Bruins would not be in the Stanley Cup Final. Thomas has a just-as-incredible .936 save percentage in the playoffs.
Thomas took a long, winding road to the NHL. His story alone is inspiring. But the way he plays sets the tone for his Bruins teammates. Thomas never gives up on any play, which has led to a lengthy highlight reel of acrobatic saves. His level of commitment and dedication rubs off on his teammates, inspiring them to reach the amazing level of effort needed to make the Stanley Cup Final.
But what affects his teammates the most is his combativeness. Thomas isn’t afraid to mix it up with any forward that comes near his crease. Look no further than his hit on Henrik Sedin in Game 3 for proof. Sedin was approaching his crease, and Thomas attacked him. It was classic, combative Tim Thomas. It’s no surprise that the Sedin twins were harassed even more in Game 4. Tim Thomas set the example, and his teammates followed.
Thomas’ target in Game 4 was Alex Burrows. Late in the game, with the Canucks on the power play, Burrows tried to knock Thomas’ stick from his hands. According to Thomas, it had happened a few times earlier in the game. Thomas retaliated by giving Burrows a hard slash on the leg, or as Thomas called it, a “love tap.” Burrows went at Thomas, and both players appeared to throw punches before Burrows was tackled by Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. Vancouver has tried to rattle Tim Thomas, and Thomas sent a message Wednesday night: It’s not gonna happen.
After Game 2, many people were wondering whether he should change the way he plays. The overtime goal he gave up to Burrows in Game 2 exposed his aggressiveness in the net. But Thomas feeds off criticism. There were rumors he would be traded last summer, and after receiving a big new contract in 2009, he was considered a drag on the team’s payroll. Once again, he has responded to his critics in the best way possible: spectacular play and winning games.
Remember the first round? The Bruins were down 2-0 to Montreal after losing the first two at home. They were left for dead. Claude Julien was being roasted in the media, and the team was going to be rebuilt. So what did they do? They went up to Montreal, won two games at the Bell Centre behind great goaltending from Thomas, and won the series in seven games. Just like Thomas has done his whole career, they responded to critics by winning.
Is Tim Thomas more talented than Roberto Luongo? Probably not. But what Thomas has over Luongo is the ability to use criticism to elevate his play. Luongo has not shown that. Thomas sets the tone for this Bruins team, and that tone is what gives them a chance to lift the Stanley Cup.
Scott Frano can reached at sfrano@earthlink.net.
