While Tim Thomas has remained conspicuously quiet and away from his Facebook page during the entirety of the NHL lockout, the erstwhile Bruins goaltender has made an official appearance as a member of the NHLPA.
According to several sources, the 38-year-old goaltender sat in on one of the NHLPAs recent conference calls discussing the NHL lockout and related players association business. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner kept silent during the conference call, and Thomas has been holed up in his Colorado residence with his family while focusing on friends, faith and family after declaring this summer that he wanted to sit out the 2012-13 NHL season.
As it turns out Thomas had the right idea in mind with the NHL lockout steamrolling the first three months of the regular season and is threatening the entire campaign if the NHL and NHLPA cant come to an agreement on a new CBA. There has been no word on whether Thomas has experienced a change of heart about playing this season should the NHL get underway in January, but its expected the Bruins will look to trade Thomas contract elsewhere rather than soak up his 5 million cap hit.
Its also expected that the Conn Smythe-winning Thomas has already played his final game with the Black and Gold regardless of any further decision about this season.
Thomas finished last season with a 35-19-1 record along with a .920 save percentage and 2.35 goals against average, but faded badly down the stretch into the playoffs. Thomas has reportedly shown interest in playing for Team USA in the 2014 Winter Olympics despite his desire to sit out the 2013 hockey season.
If the contract regulations in the expired CBA carry over into the new agreement, then Thomas current deal with the Bruins will expire if the entire season ends up getting cancelled.