The Florida Panthers and 39-year-old goaltender, Tim Thomas have
agreed to a one year contract.
The deal has a cap hit of $3.75 million for the 2013-14
season with $2.5 million being the base salary and $1.25 million in player
bonuses, according to capgeek.com.
Thomas signed a pro
tryout contract with the Panthers in the beginning of training camp. He has yet to play in a preseason game, but
is in net for tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Thomas has been
out of hockey for a year after deciding to sit out the final year of his
contract with the Boston Bruins in the 2012-13 season.
The goaltender has played in 378 career games and they have
all been played with the Bruins, where he compiled 196 wins, 121 loses, a .921
save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average. He also has played in 50 playoff games and
won a Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins.
The 39-year-old has been selected to the All-Star game four
times in his career (2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012). He has won the Veniza Trophy in both the
2008-09 and 2010-11 seasons as the best goaltender in the NHL. Thomas also won the William M. Jennings
Trophy with Manny Fernandez as the top goaltending duo for the 2008-09 season. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy for being
the playoff MVP in 2011.
Thomas is currently the third goaltender on the roster for
the Panthers behind 23-year-old Jacob Markstrom and Scott Clemmenson, who is
currently out with a knee injury. It
should be interesting to see who the Panthers keep between the pipes for the
upcoming season, which starts on Thursday, October 3rd on the road
in Dallas.
Thomas is