Thomas was a part of pro hockey for over 4 decades!
The sad news of the death of Wayne Thomas, a former NHL goaltender, coach, and executive, has gripped the entire NHL community. Thomas, who dedicated much of his life to the sport of ice hockey, began his career as a player, followed by multiple coaching positions post-retirement.
Eventually, Thomas finished his career in 2015 after spending 22 years with the San Jose Sharks organization in various management roles. An integral member of the ice hockey community, Thomas was respected for his passion for the game and everything he brought to it.
The San Jose Sharks announced on Wednesday, July 16, the unfortunate passing of long-time executive Wayne Thomas. It is believed that the organization learned about Thomas’ death through a family member.
Thomas, who was 77 at the time of his death, had been battling cancer. The Sharks announced that their former vice president passed away peacefully at his home while surrounded by his family.
The former goaltender leaves behind an impeccable legacy, having served the sport of ice hockey for many years in various forms. Born in Ottawa on Oct. 9, 1947, Thomas’ journey in ice hockey started as a player from his early days in school.
His NHL rights belonged to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who traded him to the Los Angeles Kings in 1968. In 1970, the Kings traded him to the Montreal Canadiens, where he spent the first couple of years playing in the AHL.
In the 1972-23 season, Wayne made his debut for the Canadiens as their goaltender and went on to record 8 wins and just 1 loss. At this time, he became just the 10th goalie to record a shutout in his NHL debut, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks.
From 1973 till the end of his playing days in the 1980-81 season, Thomas would remain in the NHL. During the 1973-74 season, Thomas’ 2.77 GAA was the fourth-best in the league, and one of his crowning moments came during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins when he recorded a Canadiens record 53 saves in a 5-4 win.
In 1975, Thomas was traded to the Maple Leafs, where he played for two seasons, after which he joined the New York Rangers in 1977. He finished his career with the Rangers after 4 seasons, and retired in the 1980-81 season.
By the end of his NHL career, Thomas had 10 shutouts, a GAA of 3.34, and a .868 save percentage, with a 103-93-34 record.
In 1980-81, the Rangers’ coach felt that Thomas would serve the team better as a goaltender coach rather than a third-string goalie. Becoming one of the first goaltender coaches in the NHL, this would pave the way for his coaching career.
Thomas would go on to hold multiple coaching positions from a goaltenders coach, to an assistant coach, and even a head coach for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International Hockey League (IHL).
However, in 1993, Thomas would leave coaching and enter into the management side of the game when he joined the San Jose Sharks as an assistant to the general manager. Climbing his way up the ladder, Thomas went on to become the assistant general manager and became the organization’s vice president in 2001. He held both positions until his retirement in 2015.
Thomas’ passing away is a truly great loss for the NHL and the sport of ice hockey. Admired and respected for what he accomplished on and off the rink, the late great’s legacy will live forever in the history of this sport.
Mandatory Credit: San Jose Sharks X account
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