Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Video: Tim Thomas bounces back from struggles in 2009-10 season

Tim Thomas

Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (30) knocks the puck away during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J., on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010. The Bruins won 4-1. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen)

AP

If a player manages to make it to the NHL level, it’s likely that person isn’t a quitter. Even the most talented athlete must roll with some punches at the game’s lower levels to make it to the pros, whether it be junior/college hockey, the minors, international leagues or a combination of those three.

Even in a field full of resilient athletes, Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas stands out as a true battler. You can see it in the way he occasionally flops around to make a big save and the way he bounced back from an off-year in 2009-10 to return to elite status during this season and the playoffs.

Maybe his return to form shouldn’t be so surprising considering the bumpy road Thomas traveled to the NHL. Take a look at his curious path through various leagues once he graduated from the University of Vermont. (Games played for each team listed in parenthesis.)

1997-98

HIFK (Helsingin IFK) (6 games) - Finnish league
Houston Aeros (1 game)

98-99
Hamilton Bulldogs (15)
HIFK (14)

99-00
Detroit Vipers (36)

00-01
AIK (Allmänna Idrottsklubben Ishockeyförening) (43) - Swedish league

01-02
Kärpät (32) - Finnish league

02-03
Providence Bruins (35)
Boston Bruins (4)

03-04
Providence Bruins (43)

04-05
Jokerit (54) - Finnish league

05-06
Providence Bruins (26)
Boston Bruins (38)

06-07 - current
Boston Bruins (277)

So, as you can see, Thomas is quite comfortable with adversity. The video below focuses on how he bounced back in 2010-11 after a tough 09-10 campaign.