Wayne Thomas (ice hockey)
| Wayne Thomas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
October 9, 1947 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for |
Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1972–1981 | ||
Robert Wayne "Twinky" Thomas (born October 9, 1947 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers. He also held several positions in coaching and management in the NHL and the minor leagues.
Playing career
Thomas played two years of varsity hockey at the University of Wisconsin under coach Bob Johnson. He was with the in the team in its first appearance in the Frozen Four tournament in Lake Placid, New York in 1970.
Thomas played two seasons with the Montreal and Nova Scotia Voyageurs, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. With the Voyageurs he won the Calder Cup, the AHL championship trophy, in 1972. The following year, he played his first NHL game with the Canadiens, a shutout against the Vancouver Canucks. He recorded an 8-1 regular season record, but did not play in the playoffs.
After three seasons in Montreal he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in June 1975 for a first round draft pick. He played in the 1976 All Star game and recorded a win. After two years in Toronto he played two seasons with the New York Rangers and retired in 1981.
Coaching and management career
After retiring as a player, he was hired by the New York Rangers as a goaltending coach, one of the first in professional hockey. At the beginning of the 1982-83 season he became an assistant coach with emphasis on goaltending. He remained in that position until the end of the 1984-85 season.
In 1985 Thomas became the head coach of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International Hockey League, where he spent two seasons. In his second year in Salt Lake City, the Golden Eagles won the Turner Cup and Thomas was awarded the Commissioner's Trophy as the IHL's Coach of the Year.
In 1986, he returned to the NHL as assistant coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. The following season, he was hired by the St. Louis Blues as the head coach of their minor league affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen of the IHL. In 1991, the Blues brought him to St. Louis as an assistant, with specialty in goaltending, to head coach Brian Sutter.
In 1993, Thomas left the Blues to join the San Jose Sharks as Assistant to the General Manager and Assistant Coach. He remained in that role until the 1995-1996 season, when he was named Assistant General Manager. He was named Vice President of the Sharks in 2001. He remained Vice President and Assistant General Manager until his retirement in 2015.
Personal life
Thomas has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin. He and his wife, Barb, have two daughters, Gretchen Thomas Kane (Tim) and Abra Thomas Larson (Hans), and three grandchildren, Erik Larson, Elsje Larson, and Harrison Kane.
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| All-WCHA Second Team | 1969–70 | |