The announcement that Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas is considering taking next season off was surely one of the bigger stories in the NHL, along with the Cup finals and the Nicklas Lidstrom retirement.
Prior to the announcement, Thomas was expected to be a hot trade commodity this summer, as the Bruins are set to hand the reigns over to Tuukka Rask.
But now that he's made his thoughts public, he's a risky investment at best.
So let's take a look at how this could all play out.
He could follow though with his thoughts and take next season off. Because he is over 35 years old, his salary would still be a hit on the Bruins' salary cap, which prevents them from adding essential pieces over the offseason.
Of course, he could remain with the Bruins and make the decision that he does, in fact, want to play. In that case, he would be a backup. Even if Thomas is still capable of playing well, the Bruins need to show Rask that they're committed to him.
Because of this, trading Thomas once he decides to play would be the best-case scenario for the Bruins. But if that is after the entry draft ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Riley Kufta
Tim Thomas’ Situation Presents Tough Choice for Potential Trade Partners
June 2nd, 2012 by Riley Kufta Leave a reply »
Advertisement