Assessing the Legacy of Tim Thomas in Black and Gold

On Thursday afternoon, the Boston Bruins parted ways with a player that made fans hold their breath, experience heart palpitations, cry tears of joy and eventually scratch their heads in disbelief during his eight years wearing the black and gold.

Tim Thomas is headed to New York to become a member of the Islanders.  The B's will get a conditional second-round pick in return; that is, the pick will only be given to Boston if Thomas either plays a game for the Islanders or is traded by the club.

But let's forget the details of the trade and instead consider the player that has moved on.  Tim Thomas is a Michigan boy who played his college hockey right here in New England at the University of Vermont.  Thomas always believed that he was NHL material, but his chances continued to slip away as the years trickled on.  It wasn't until the goaltender was 28 years old that he finally made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins.

October 19, 2002.  Thomas stopped 31 of 34 shots fired by the Edmonton Oilers in his first career victory.  Eleven days later, he stopped 33 of 35 pucks against the Washington Capitals for his second win in as many chances.  But that would be his last action until April, when he went 1-1 in two more starts to round out his campaign.

Thomas didn't see the ice again at the NHL level until the 2005-2006 season.  It was January 10, 2006 — nearly three years since his last appearance with the Bruins.  And as luck would have it, he gave up one goal on seven shots in a relief appearance against the Sharks.  That goal was the game-winner, and Thomas was handed the loss.

At this point in the goaltender's career, all hope may have been lost.  Thomas was 31 years old the day of that game in 2006, and he was set to turn 32 in April.  He'd never sustained any work in the NHL, having appeared in just five games.  He had been battling, and would continue to battle, for starting nods against the likes of Andrew Raycroft, Hannu Toivenen, Manny Fernandez and eventually Tuukka Rask.  After all, why would the Bruins commit to a 30-something year-old goalie with so much promising young talent in the mix?

Peter Chiarelli — who was hired as the Bruins' general manager in May of 2006 — had figured it out.  He realized that Raycroft, Toivenen and Fernandez weren't keepers.  He shipped Andrew Raycroft to Toronto for Tuukka Rask before the 2006 entry draft (how about that trade, eh?).  The following season, Thomas played in a career-high 66 games for the Bruins in what marked the moment that Boston put their faith in the journeyman.

In that same off-season, the Bruins — technically being managed by interim GM Jeff Gorton at the time — reeled in what became one of the franchise's biggest free agent signings in history.  The club inked Zdeno Chara, previously of the Ottawa Senators (the same team that Chiarelli had been working for) to a five-year, $37.5 million deal.  Chara, as you know, has worked out.

Back to Thomas.  The goaltender played well in his first two seasons as the number one, but it wasn't until his third season that he really began to write his legacy.  In the 2008-09 season, Thomas was downright spectacular in a Vezina trophy-winning campaign.  He posted a 36-11-7 record, a 2.10 goals against average and a .933 saves percentage.  The Bruins fell short in the playoffs, though, in a Game 7 to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The following season, we got another one of those messages that it just might not be in the cards for Thomas to reach sustained stardom.  After starting the season as the club's top goaltender, young sensation Tuukka Rask — the goaltender acquired in the trade that originally opened the door for Thomas in 2006 — seized the starting job from him.  Rask had only appeared in five NHL games prior to the start of that season, but his numbers justified the switch.  Tuukka posted a 22-12-5 record with a gaudy .931 saves percentage and a microscopic 1.97 goals against average.  The latter two statistics led the NHL.  His collapse, though, came in an infamous series against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  Boston had a 3-0 series lead, and... well, need we revisit history?  I think not.

Nonetheless, Rask was the starter.  The key piece of the trade that opened the door for Thomas in Boston had come back a few years later to seemingly close it.  Tuukka was the franchise goalie, and that was that.  Thomas would be a backup for what was left of his wacky, roller-coaster career.  That's what any sane person would have thought, anyway.

At the start of the next season, Rask was the definite starter, fresh off a stellar campaign riddled by a haunting Game 7 loss.  Thomas was the backup.  The exact opposite circumstances from the previous season's beginning.  And, quite eerily, the season progressed in a similar way as well.

Thomas stole the starting job from Rask — at no great fault of the young goaltender — when he stood on his head game after game en route to establishing the Bruins as a powerhouse.  Chiarelli had finally built a winning formula with a few years in the business, and the wild style of Thomas seemed to perfectly complement his squad.  In one of the best regular seasons a goaltender has ever had — ignoring the historic playoff run that awaited — Thomas posted a 35-11-9 record with a .938 saves percentage and a 2.00 goals against average.  He had nine shutouts.

I won't get cliché and start poetically depicting the Stanley Cup run that ensued, but you all know the story's ending.  Thomas won the Conn Smythe trophy with ease in the 2011 playoffs, posting an absurdly impressive .940 saves percentage and 1.97 goals against average.  He went 16-9 in those 25 games, posting four shutouts and winning three Game 7's.

The following season was a struggle filled with controversies, quirks and disappointments, and it was the final season Thomas would ever play for the Bruins.  That isn't what I wish to focus on, though.  This goaltender deserves better than that.  This goaltender deserves to have his best moments discussed, not his worst.

Tiny Thompson.  Frank Brimsek.  Frank Brimsek.  Gerry Cheevers.  Gerry Cheevers.  Tim Thomas.

Those were the goaltenders for the Bruins in their six Stanley Cup championship seasons.  Brimsek and Cheevers each won it twice.  Thompson and Thomas won it once.  And whether old-timers want to admit it or not, our weird, anti-Obama, crazy-flopping goaltender of the new age belongs right in the mix with those other guys as one of the best Bruins goalies of all-time.

Of all six winning teams, Thomas's team snapped the longest drought in the franchise's history.  It had been 39 years since the Bruins had won a Stanley Cup, and Timmy put the team on his back for an entire season.  He may not have won as many Cups as Brimsek or Cheevers, but one could argue it may have been the best performance in the most significant win of the six.

When it comes to individual accolades, Thomas reeled in two Vezina trophies.  Tiny Thompson collected four during his tenure with the Bruins, Brimsek gathered two, and Cheevers didn't win one.  For his career, Thomas showcases a goals against average of 2.48.  While that is a far cry from Tiny Thompson's 2.08 career GAA, it remains better than the 2.70 and the 2.89 averages held by Brimsek and Cheevers, respectively.  Thomas has a career saves percentage of .921, but saves percentage wasn't consistently calculated during the careers of the other three goalies.

I cannot sit here and argue that Tim Thomas is the best goalie of all-time.  I can't even argue confidently that he is the best to ever wear the spoked B on his chest.  But what is undeniable is that he belongs in the conversation.  He belongs in the same class as those Bruins' greats, regardless of his quirky antics off the ice.  He acted up a bit in his final days in Boston, but consider the bigger picture.  Consider what the man has been through.  He will be 39 years old in April.  He fought until he was 31 just to get a legitimate shot in the NHL.  Most goalies would call it quits.  Most athletes would call it quits.  Lingering in the minors is no fun, especially when you're the only one in the locker room who is almost a decade removed from college.

Thomas stuck with it.  He never gave up.  And pardon me if I'm over-simplifying, but Bruins fans ought to be damn happy he never gave up.  Because if he had, that Stanley Cup drought would be approaching 41 years this spring.

Tim Thomas may never play a game for the Islanders.  He may never play another game in the NHL.  But as we begin the post-Thomas era, choose not to reflect on his actions in politics, the media or anything else.

Instead, reflect on his actions on the ice.  Those are the ones that made him an ever-lasting piece of Bruins history.
 

Fitting Christmas Gifts for All 32 NFL Teams

The holiday season is finally here, and everyone is in the spirit of giving. In honor of that Christmas spirit, we're looking to deliver a perfect Christmas gift to every team in the NFL this year. What's on the Patriots' Christmas list? What isn't on the Cardinals' Christmas list? How much coal will be in Ben Roethlisberger's stocking this year?

I'm playing Santa Claus for the next few minutes, and I'm breaking down what everyone's getting this year on Christmas morning.

Breaking Down the NHL Lockout

As you most likely know all too well, the NHL has been locked out for nearly three months now.  On September 15th, the league's previous Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) expired, locking out the players until a new deal could be reached.  Some fans have followed the details scrupulously, and others have just been tweeting and complaining about the lack of their favorite sport.  If you aren't aware of the situation at hand, I'll do my best to break it down in the most understandable terms.

When you kept hearing about the 50-50 split that was desired, it was in reference to the way money is divided between the players and the owners in terms of hockey-related revenue.  What exactly hockey-related revenue is classified as, I cannot be sure.  But the important thing is, according to sources, the two sides have agreed on what HRR is defined as.  In the league's last working CBA that expired in September, the players earned a 57-43 share of HRR.  Owners wanted to bring the players' share down from 57 percent to 46 percent in the new CBA, but it seems that the sides have agreed in principle on a 50-50 split, after all.  That agreement finally came last week during a three-day negotiating session that ended abruptly when the NHL turned down a counter-proposal from the NHLPA.

The "Make Whole" Provision was another topic that was agreed on in principle, according to reporters who were at the hotel in New York City last week where the owners and players were negotiating.  In a nutshell, the "Make Whole" provision is the piece of the agreement that ensures existing player salaries are "made whole" despite the reduction of the percentage of revenue that goes to player salaries.  Originally, the NHL said they would pay $211 million over the course of the new CBA for the Make Whole provision.  The players originally demanded that the league pay $389 million.  It was a huge sticking point for a while, but in the league's most recent offer last week, they moved significantly — exactly half way, in fact — toward the players' demands with an offer to pay $300 million of the Make Whole provision.  The NHLPA accepted that particular part of the proposal.

So, to recap... last week's offer from the NHL included a 50-50 split in revenue (which the NHLPA agrees to) and a $300 million commitment from the league on the Make Whole provision (which the NHLPA also agrees to).  So what are the remaining sticking points here? After all, to reiterate the message of the previous two paragraphs, the two sides have essentially agreed on the money numbers in this deal.

One of the remaining issues is the length of the new CBA term. The NHL is demanding a 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with a mutual option between the two sides to opt out of that agreement after the first eight years.  The players, on the other hand, insist on an eight-year agreement with an option to opt out after the first six years.  Even if you're challenged with numbers, you can see that the different here is only two years.  Sources say that most players don't care all that much about this matter, and that they would accept the league's offer if they had to.  Donald Fehr, however — the NHLPA's leader, in the same role as Bill Daly plays for the owners — seems to care more than the players do.  He is one of the reasons that the sides haven't agreed on this issue yet.  The primary reason why the owners want 10 years is because of their willingness to pay $300 million in Make Whole money.  If the CBA is shorter than that, then the owners will not really achieve a true 50-50 split of HRR — the $300 million would significantly skew that percentage.

Another huge sticking point is maximum player contract lengths, which Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly refers to as "the hill [the NHL is] willing to die on."  The league proposes a five-year maximum for new player contracts, with seven years being the maximum if the player is re-signing with his current team.  The owners want to do away with ridiculously long contract situations (see: Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Dipietro) that, ironically enough, they brought upon themselves.  Ultimately, they want to institute a policy to prevent those few owners who give the huge contracts from ruining the system.  The players, however, feel just as strongly as the league does in the opposite direction.  They believe that five years is too short a limit, and their counter was an eight-year minimum.  If one side or the other doesn't move at all, this thing could go up in flames from an issue that isn't even money-related.

The last major sticking point is the matter of player contract buyouts, which the NHLPA is trying to allow in the early stages of a new CBA.  The catch, though, is that the NHLPA wants those contracts to be eligible for buyout without that payment counting against the salary cap.  For obvious reasons, the league is against this notion as well.  The owners claim that, since they are already shelling out $300 million for the proposed Make Whole provision, they cannot have more money being exchanged outside of the system (i.e. the system = the salary cap).  Ultimately, this seems to be another issue that Donald Fehr is creating unjustly.  The Make Whole provision is entirely designed to help the players transition, financially, from one CBA to the next to cope with a reduction in their share of the money.  There really isn't a need for another transitional remedy like this when it comes to getting the players more money.

So what's the summary? Ultimately, if I can put this in the simplest terms possible, the NHL and the NHLPA are absurdly close to an agreement on the core issues.  It's rather aggravating that it hasn't been settled yet.  Here are a few concluding bullet points through which I will try to summarize my thoughts:

       • If the players themselves put the NHL's most recent proposal to a vote, it is more than likely that the players would accept the offer.  They want to get back on the ice.
       • Donald Fehr, the skipper of the NHLPA, is trying to get the best deal possible for his players. Kudos for that, but there comes a time when you must realize that you've haggled as much as you'll be able to.
       • Even though the league made a decent offer, I still find myself questioning whether or not they are truly committed to fixing things.  Did you know that the league (the owners) still make money from their TV contracts even when the league is locked out?
        • It's time for both sides to push hard for an agreement, and the reality is that the players will get screwed.  The owners hold the cards.  Donald Fehr, Steve Fehr and the rest of the NHLPA need to realize that and accept the NHL's most recent offer (which the league has attached a "take it or leave it" label to).  It's manageable, at worst.

The only thing I'm certain of at this point is that I miss hockey... a lot.  It is a shame that such rich men are unable to divide such huge sums of money in a satisfiable way.  And further, it is a shame that the two sides still cannot reach an agreement even after they've agreed on those core money splits.

Remember who brings the money in.  Remember who brought this sport back to prominence.  Remember your fans when you see your product spiral into destruction on the heels of another lost season.
    

More Potential BC Uniforms

If I Were Boston College's Next Athletic Director...

Boston College football is a sputtering program with such promising potential. Everyone knows what football could become in Chestnut Hill, but most have resigned to the understanding that it simply isn't happening any time soon. The culture calls for sending good people through the program, doing things the right way, and having class. All great things, but winning is supposed to be the fourth part of that equation. It hasn't been in a few years.

If I was the new athletic director succeeding Gene DeFilippo, I'd introduce these uniforms. Look at schools like Oregon. How do they build their football programs? They look fresh. They sparkle. They have what the younger generations would call swag. Players envision themselves in that jersey, that helmet, those complete uniforms, and they want to be a part of it. Everything is about the image. Just my two cents, but if I was the AD, I'd put these into action and watch my Eagles soar once again.

Boston College Football — Predicting the Rest of 2012

When Friday morning rolls around, I'll be boarding the Boston College Eagles' charter that takes off from Logan Airport and lands in Chicago. The following morning, BC will square off with Northwestern for the third game of their football season.

My attendance is rather unimportant — I'll be doing the play-by-play commentary for Boston College's student radio station, WZBC 90.3 FM — but the game is of massive importance for the Eagles.

Boston College (1-1) is coming off of a blowout 34-3 victory over the Maine Black Bears, an FCS opponent whom the Eagles dominated for their first win. On Saturday, BC will look to notch their first win against an FBS opponent on the young season and prove that they are once again contenders in college football.

Ten games remain on their schedule. Here are my optimistic predictions for how this thing will unfold.

Game #3 — September 15th at Northwestern
As I've just mentioned, this is a statement game for the Eagles. Chase Rettig has led an impressive offensive attack thus far, and the defense — albeit against an FCS offense — looked stellar last weekend. The Eagles hung around with the Wildcats in last year's opener. I see them doing better than that this year. With their three-pronged running attack and revamped passing attack (Might Bobby Swigert be returning soon?), they get a big win against a good opponent. Boston College 27, Northwestern 20.

Game #4 — September 29th vs Clemson
BC's bye week comes after the Northwestern game, so they'll have two full weeks to prepare for Clemson. Sadly enough, that isn't going to matter. All the optimism in the world cannot logically bring me to suggest the Eagles will beat the Tigers. Clemson is absolutely loaded, and if you ask me, they could be competing for a national title come January. No harm, no foul — not a soul expects us to win, anyway. Clemson 42, Boston College 20.

Game #5 — October 6th at Army
This will be a pretty cool game for anyone lucky enough to attend it. Army is a good venue for obvious reasons, and it will surely be a hard-fought game. I suspect they may be too one-dimensional to hang with an Eagles team that brings their A-game. If they do bring that A-game, Boston College rolls. Boston College 34, Army 14.

Game #6 — October 13th at Florida State
Not quite as easy as last week. This will be Boston College's most difficult road game of the season, without question. FSU is always talented, they're an ACC opponent, and midway through the season it will be a critical game. I've said many times that I feel like the Eagles will beat one of the three big powerhouses on their schedule (Clemson, FSU, Notre Dame). It isn't Clemson, and it's not Florida State. Florida State 28, Boston College 14.

Game #7 — October 20th at Georgia Tech
Rounding out a three-game roadie, BC heads to Georgia Tech for another ACC matchup. Even though GT was impressive against VT, I think that is partially because VT is overrated. Like usual, it will be a dog fight. But let optimism prevail. Boston College 20, Georgia Tech 17.

Game #8 — October 27th vs Maryland
Maryland is God awful. We even beat them last year. Boston College 31, Maryland 12.

Game #9 — November 3rd at Wake Forest
It would be outrageous to assume that the Eagles will win all of their winnable games, just like it would be outrageous to say they're beating Clemson on the basis that they could... possibly do it. This is one of those games that the Eagles will drop. An easy win against Maryland behind you and a huge match-up with ND ahead of you — BC lets their guard down and drops a game they could have had. Wake Forest 30, Boston College 17.

Game #10 — November 10th vs Notre Dame
The game of the year for BC and their fans. It will almost surely be under the lights at Alumni Stadium. By my count, BC will enter the game with a record of 5-4. That means they're competing for bowls. And this place will be jacked up. Notre Dame — already an overrated squad — will struggle. BC gets a huge win by executing in the passing game and protecting the football. Boston College 24, Notre Dame 21.

Game #11 — November 17th vs Virginia Tech
I'm telling you, VT is an overrated football team. Logan Thomas is good and all, but they always seem to have problems putting the whole package together. BC is a good team with some flaws. They're still not at the point where they're a true contender in the ACC yet. But they're damn close, and they'll get a signature win after their biggest win the week prior. Boston College 38, Virginia Tech 35.

Game #12 — November 24th at NC State
I could group this game into the same category as Wake Forest, but the difference is that it's the last game of the season. There's an outside shot — albeit unlikely — that this game could still give BC a shot in the ACC. They may be playing for entry into a bowl game. There's a lot on the line. For those reasons — and because BC has a tendency to finish the season on a high note — I think the Eagles close out their campaign on a very impressive three-game winning streak. Boston College 28, NC State 17.

FINAL RECORD: 8-4 (4-4)
Most fans around here would be thrilled with an 8-4 season from the Eagles. I think that their opening loss to Miami will end up being very costly as they compete for the ACC title. As I said, they're still a few pieces away from competing for that conference championship. But this is a good group of players. You'll see it this year. I'm telling you that much. You'll see these players start to win ballgames. When Bobby Swigert and Chris Pantale come back to add two huge weapons to the passing game, Chase Rettig will be that much more impressive. And when Al Louis-Jean comes back as the team's top cornerback, you'll see a defensive unit with more stability and skill.

I may be optimistic suggesting that the Eagles will win eight games this season, but I don't think I'm crazy. I've watched this team start the season, and saw most of them play last year. There's something to work with here. As Doug Martin settles into his new role as offensive coordinator and guides Rettig to multi-touchdown games every week, the limit will continue to rise for the BC Eagles.

And there is still the slightest bit of hope that this team can become relevant in college football once again.

UPDATE -- Optimism can be an embarrassing thing.
      

Bookie Tips — Saturday College Football Locks

As another beautiful Saturday full of college football heads our way, why don't we take a look at some ways to earn the extra dollar of beer money this weekend? If you're a gambling man, these picks should be right up your alley. You may not trust me yet, but I'm hoping you will after today's slate of games.

Kansas State (-7) over Miami

Being a Boston College superfan, I saw the Miami attack first-hand last weekend. Let me tell you this — it was nothing impressive. Yes, they put up 41 points in Chestnut Hill, but BC gift-wrapped the game for them. It was a very standard and predictable attack from the Hurricanes, and the Eagles just couldn't make tackles or protect the football. It was as simple as that. Against a much better KSU squad, the U finds itself back to .500. Book it.

Auburn (+3) over Mississippi State

Against one of the most talented teams in the nation last week, Auburn hung around and lost a tight game. Mississippi State is no Clemson. This game will be close, and SEC battles are always grinders. But Auburn doesn't drop to 0-2 today. Quarterback Kiehl Frazier had very shaky numbers in the opener against Clemson — 11-for-27 (40.7 percent) for 194 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Despite the poor performance, Auburn was in the game. The Tigers get their mojo back today.

Clemson (-28) over Ball State

I was just raving about how good this Clemson team is, and it wasn't just to justify the Auburn pick. This team is for real. They're headed for what I see as an easy road to the ACC Championship game, one which my money would already be on the Tigers to win. They're mega-talented and headed back to their home field for this game — a field they went 7-0 on last year before getting blown out in the Orange Bowl to West Virginia. Those talented physical specimens will go to work for Clemson in an absolute rout of Ball State.

There's the wrap for this Saturday's slate of games. Pick any of these three — or, if you're feeling lucky, parlay them together — and you just might find yourself with some extra money to spend on beer and wings tomorrow for NFL action.