With former Stanley Cup (2011), Vezina Trophy (2009 and
2011), and Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas still on the open market, one has to
think that retirement might just be the path that Thomas goes down.
If that ends up being the case, is Thomas a Hockey Hall
of Fame (HHOF) worthy netminder? He has put up great numbers, has won hockey’s
Holy Grail, and has won several individual awards, all of which make him look
like a good candidate to one day get into Hockey’s hallowed hall.
On the other hand, one can make the argument that Thomas
should not get inducted into the Hall. The number of years he played, his
playoff failures and some other inconsistencies are all factors that one can
point as not adding up to a Hall of Fame masked man.
Let’s delve deeper into this and allow me to explain my thought
process.
Put
Him in the Hall
Looking at Thomas’s numbers, they are quite good for a
goaltender that has played just seven years in the NHL.
If his career were to end today, Thomas’s record would be
196-121-50 along with a 2.48 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and
31 shutouts. His record would also show that he won at least 30 games in four
of his seven seasons while also picking up at least five shutouts in four of
the seven seasons he has been in the league.
Thomas’s limited postseason numbers are also quite
remarkable. In his four years of postseason experience, Thomas has won 29 games
and has posted a 2.07 GAA, a .933 save percentage to go along with six
shutouts.
Speaking of the playoffs, Thomas is a Cup-winning
goaltender and did so in a remarkable way in 2011. To go along with his 16
wins, he had a stellar 1.98 GAA, an incredibly high .940 save percentage and
four shutouts en route to winning the Conn Smythe as the league’s most valuable
player in the postseason.
Thomas also has quite the trophy case. In his seven years
in the NHL, Thomas has won the following:
- Vezina
Trophy as the league’s top netminder (2009 and 2011)
- Stanley Cup (2011)
- Conn Smythe Trophy (2011)
- Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award as the goaltender with the highest save percentage (2009 and 2011)
- William Jennings Trophy that he shared with Manny Fernandez for the least amount of goals allowed (2009)
- Four All-Star Games (2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012)
Based on the above, one could definitely make a good case
for Thomas to be inducted into the HHOF one day.
No
Way
While there is no doubt that Thomas has accomplished a
lot in the NHL, there is also a good argument to be made on why he should not
be inducted into the Hall one day.
For starters, he does not have a large enough sample
size. Thomas has played just seven seasons in the NHL and has not even eclipsed
the 500-game mark yet.
The goaltenders that are in the Hall of Fame have played
a ton of games and have a lot more years to look back on when it comes to their
respective careers. Thomas may have good numbers but could he have put up these
kinds of numbers had he played in the league for 10 or 12 years?
Secondly, Thomas’s win total would be considerably low
for a Hall of Fame netminder. Of the 36 goaltenders that are in the HHOF, many
of them have either won over 300 career games or have at least come close to it
and at 196 wins, Thomas still probably needs at least between 60 and 70 more
wins to be considered for the HHOF based on wins.
Lastly, while he did win a Cup in 2011, his success in
the playoffs has not been stellar. In fact, Thomas got his team into the second
round of the postseason in just two of the four seasons, with both 2008 and
2012 ending in the first round.
Final
Say
We are in no way, shape or form knocking Thomas. Just
look at all the good things that were said about him above.
With that said, when all is said and done, I believe
that Thomas is not a future Hockey Hall of Famer.
