The Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup will forever be etched in history, and without net-minder Tim Thomas, they may not have gotten that far at all.
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In that season, Thomas recorded career highs in save percentage (.938) and GAA (2.00), and in the playoffs he was just spectacular en route to the 2011 Conn Smythe Award.
In total, Thomas won 196 games as a goaltender for Boston, but has stayed fairly clear of the organization since departing as a player following the 2011-12 campaign.
Now, after all this time, Thomas will be returning to the Bruins organization as a part of the Bruins Centennial Celebration, and he couldn't be more excited.
It's something I'm looking forward to," said Thomas, speaking from his new home in Barre, Vermont. "It's going to be good to see some old teammates. The Bruins have planned a lot of great events, so it should be an enjoyable season.
Given how important he was to the teams last Cup win, it's great to see him celebrated for what he did in net, and now we will wait and see if he potentially returns in a larger role somewhere down the road.