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Tim Thomas elected to US Hockey Hall of Fame |
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With the Bruins bringing back members of their 2011 Stanley Cup Champion team, among other Boston sports champions as their banner captain for each home game of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, Bruins fans hoped a return to TD Garden by Tim Thomas was near.
A return never came and another season of silence by Thomas went by.
Inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Thomas was a part of a conference call that included media and Thomas’ fellow Hall of Fame inductees. The conference call marked Thomas’ first public comments since his 2014 retirement.
"Everybody probably knows nowadays I don't actually have all that much to say, at least publicly," Thomas said. "Obviously I've decided to keep what I've been doing with my life and learning to myself at this point, for sure, and probably forever."
Women’s hockey star Krissy Wendell, Neal Henderson, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and former Bruin Brian Gionta will join Thomas as the US Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2019. The ceremony will take place on December 12th in Washington.
With his induction Thomas is forced to renter the world of hockey, but it doesn’t sound like Thomas has any plans of jumping back into the hockey world in any capacity, even something as small as a return to TD Garden.
"I just don't see it, I have other interests. I have a totally other focus. I live in a totally different world than the hockey world that I lived in before,” Thomas said. ”I live a long ways away from Boston, and it's not that fun for me to travel anymore. It isn't anything to do with the Boston Bruins or the Boston fans, especially. My goodness, they loved the crap out of me when I was there to the point where it was hard to handle."
There is no denying Bruins fans “loved the crap” out of Thomas, and rightfully so. From his journey to the NHL, to his performance in the Bruins run to the 2011 Stanley Cup, the two-time Vezina trophy winner earned the respect of Bruins fans.
There’s going to be some point in the future where the 2011 Bruins are asked to come together as a team to celebrate what they did that June. Whether it’s a 15, 20 or 25 year anniversary, it doesn’t sound like Thomas will take the opportunity to join his former teammates and relive what was a magical run.
"With the state of my nervous system since I retired, I wouldn't be able to hardly handle the energy of the crowd in Boston," Thomas said. "So it isn't as simple as it may seem. Having said that, you never know what the future may hold. I'm just taking life as it goes."
Thomas did reveal that there will be at least one member of his family in Boston this hockey season, as Tim’s daughter has taken an internship with the same Bruins organization that Thomas spent eight seasons with.
"I don't personally have any relationship with the game," he said. "My focus and mind is on learning about other stuff. I learned so much about hockey and that area. I feel like I've learned as much as I needed to learn about it. My focus is on learning about other stuff."
Thomas’ career was no doubt one of the better stories in hockey history. Thomas spent several seasons playing professionally in Europe and then the minor leagues in North America before getting a chance to shine with the Bruins. Thomas finished his NHL career as a four-time All-Star, two-time Vezina winner and Conn Smythe winner in 2011.
Since his retirement from hockey where he finished his career with the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars, Thomas has been completely off the grid and ultimately unheard of in an era where social media has it made it difficult for any former athlete to live a quiet and private life.
Thomas did admit he followed along as the Bruins reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season.
As Thomas said, you never know what the future may hold, but it seems as if Thomas is content with his current lifestyle and really has no interest in a return to Boston, a city that loved him as much as they love their hockey.
As much as he’s been away from the game, and wants it to remain that way, Thomas will never shake off the fact that hockey was very rewarding to him.
“My whole life is rewarding,” Thomas said. “My time with the Boston Bruins was very rewarding. My time with USA Hockey was very rewarding.”
Boston Bruins Blogger • 
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