Much has been made about the Boston Bruins' goaltending situation heading into next season. As the B's are still without a deal for pending restricted free agent
Tuukka Rask, and with the no-trade clause on
Tim Thomas expiring on July 1st, just about anything can happen in the Hub this summer when it comes to the crease. But this newest tidbit as reported by ESPN's Pierre LeBrun is real, real different from everything that's been talked about in Boston.
From the
Cross Checks blog:
Tim Thomas might be playing elsewhere next season, or he might not be playing at all.
A source told ESPN.com on Thursday that the 38-year-old Boston Bruins netminder was contemplating taking next season off. Which doesn’t mean he will, but it’s something he’s apparently raised.
Say what?
On the heels of becoming the only goaltender in B's history to have four seasons of at least 30 wins, and just one year removed his triple crown campaign that included his second Vezina Trophy in addition to his first Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup, there's no real doubt of Thomas' ability heading into the fall, so to say that this rumor is somewhat surprising would be an understatement.
Rather than dancing around the obvious, we can all admit that the Michigan-born Thomas is a young 38-year-old and that he's also in a rather uncomfortable situation in regards to his standing in Boston. Beginning with the infamous White House 'snub' that led every Boston reporter to the sheds for their pitchforks, sharpening them up with stories about Thomas being a selfish [expletive] and a me-first guy, and including the recent developments that Thomas
upped his family to Colorado (their offseason home) mid-season, the notion that Thomas can do no right in Boston isn't exactly wrong.
But to the point of taking a year off to get out of limelight that comes with donning the Black-and-Gold? I don't think so.
At the risk of putting myself in No. 30's head (a dangerous task if there was one), I don't think you can deny the fact that the guy is an absolute warrior. He loves criticism (as seen by this
entire website), he loves being told that he's wrong, and most importantly, he loves shutting the people the hell up. Following a postseason that saw him outclassed by a 23-year-old goaltender with a handful of experience on the way to Boston's first opening round exit since 2008, trade rumors or not, this seems like another classic Thomas challenge.
In other words, the dude seems primed for a ridiculous season where Boston fans fall (back) in love with him. Entering the final year of a four-year pact signed back in April 2009 and on the hook for three million dollars despite the five million dollar cap-hit, could Thomas' bid for a third straight season of 35 wins really come to an end with a year-long timeout from the NHL or is this perhaps a scare tactic from the Thomas camp? The risk of Thomas watching from the sidelines until his deal with the B's ends undoubtedly funks with the trade scenarios that could lead to his exit from Boston as nobody wants to deal for a guy that's not interested in playing.
Now, in all likelihood, this is nothing than mere speculation. But if this story carries on without a word from the Thomas camp, then things will certainly get interesting.
But again, that's just speculation on my behalf.
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