Thomas' faith in self rewarded by All-Star bid

Tim Thomas will replace Devil's goalie Martin Brodeur at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game. Tim Thomas highlights

Thomas, the NHL's poster-boy for indefatigable belief in one's self, will replace New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur on the Eastern Conference squad. He is the second Bruins' player added to the East team this week. Center Marc Savard was named Monday to replace injured Ottawa Senators winger Dany Heatley.

Thomas was a two-time All American in his four seasons (1993-97) at the University of Vermont, where he starred with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Martin St. Louis and Atlanta Thrashers center Eric Perrin. He was the ECAC Goaltender of the Year in 1995-96.

But Vermont is off the usual beaten track. Despite their prolific collegiate scoring prowess, Perrin and St. Louis went undrafted and Thomas was an "afterthought" ninth-round pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994. He got out of college in 1997 and found the NHL had no interest in him.

"I was 23 and I played briefly in the ECHL and the International League, then went to Finland," Thomas said.

It was a momentous decision because Thomas led the Finnish Elite League with a .947 save percentage and backstopped IFK to the championship.

"The Edmonton Oilers offered me a contract the next year. I went to their camp and had a great camp, I thought,” Thomas said. “I thought I was knocking on the door. When they sent me down to Hamilton in the AHL, I thought I'd play a lot, but they had Steve Passmore and he played most of the games. I played in only 12 of the first 52 games, with only eight starts.

"I put the blame on myself. I was young and thought the job would be given to me. I had a hard time with it. I made the decision to go back to Finland. It wasn't anything anyone in Edmonton did to me. It was a career decision that I made at the time and it worked out in the long run."

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Thomas played a year for the Detroit Vipers of the IHL in 1999-00, then played in Sweden and Finland the next two years before signing with the Bruins in 2003. Steve Shields and John Grahame were the Bruins’ goaltenders that season, but Andrew Raycroft, Jeff Hackett and Thomas also saw time in Boston's net. Thomas was also 18-12-5 in 35 games with AHL Providence.

He was the first-string goalie in Providence in 2003-04 and returned to Finland during the work stoppage. Once again, Thomas proved to be the best goalie in a country famed for producing NHL goalies. Thomas was named the Finnish League’s Most Valuable Player, leading the league in victories, goals-against average, shutouts and games and minutes-played. He had a 34-13-7 record and a 1.58 GAA.

He signed with the Bruins when NHL play resumed, but split the 2005-06 season between Providence and Boston with Raycroft and Hannu Toivonen.

Thomas won the Bruins' goaltending job outright last season, going 30-29-4 with a 3.13 GAA and .905 save percentage in 66 games. But the Bruins signed free agent Manny Fernandez during the summer. But the former Minnesota Wild star played only four games for Boston before being shelved by knee problems.

Thomas has split duties with Alex Auld this season and has a 16-11-3-1 record. On the day he was named to the All-Star Game, Thomas led the NHL with a .928 save percentage. He ranks 12th with a 2.34 GAA.

"As far as making the All-Star Game, it was kind of off the table. I had a hard enough battle to make it to the NHL," Thomas said. "But now that I've been in the NHL for several years, I have different goals. I made it a goal last summer to make it to the All-Star Game, maybe not this year, but it was on my list of goals. I can't believe it bore fruit. Just to hear the announcement that Tim Thomas has made the All-Star Game gave me chills."

Thomas has gained many admirers for his faith in himself, but he made it clear Wednesday that he couldn't have done it alone.

"Personally, I always thought I was a good goalie," Thomas said. "I was helped out in my belief in myself by my agent, Bill Zito, who always believed I belonged in the NHL. He said I would be one of the better goaltenders in the NHL when I couldn't find an AHL job, let alone the NHL! My wife, Melissa, always stood by me and believed in me and this is a credit to her, too. When you surround yourself with people who believe in you, it makes it easier to believe in yourself.

"The last time I played in Finland, I made peace with myself that (the NHL) wasn't going to happen. Boston sent me a contract, but I was in a place that I enjoyed playing, with a team that appreciated me. I was talked into signing the Boston contract by my agent, my wife and my parents who felt that's where I belong.

Timothy Jr. Thomas

"I emailed my friend, Quinn Hancock, with whom I played in Finland during the lockout, and he emailed me back to say that this is final proof that I made the right decision to come back from Finland. It was a tough decision, but it looks like it's bearing fruit."

You'd have to ask Hancock, Perrin or St. Louis if Thomas is a better goalie now than earlier in his career, but there's one element that has definitely changed. The immature rookie professional who expected the Hamilton job to be handed to him has no beef whatsoever with the various alternatives the Bruins have tested in his six years around the team.

"I didn't think twice when they got Manny last summer," Thomas said. "The Bruins were trying to get better as a team. My job was to work as hard as possible to be able to play as well as I could and it didn't matter to me who the other goalie was. As long as I was given a chance to compete and play, that was fine by me.

"You can never get comfortable or relax in this game," Thomas continued. "If you don't work harder than everybody else during the summer, there will be a young kid that will beat you out."

Thomas said he probably savors this honor more at age 33 than if it had come earlier in his career.

"I think it would be special at any age, but being older, and the path I took to get here, well, I'm just going to soak it in and appreciate it," Thomas said. "Making it to the NHL at age 30 probably gives me a bigger appreciation for this accomplishment.

"I played against (New Jersey Devils defenseman) Mike Mottau (a Hobey Baker Award winner at Boston College) in college and on Team USA in the World Championships and it took him a long time to get an NHL job. We were talking last year and he said it's great that I've had some success. He said he looked at a guy like me and thought if he kept working, there might be a chance for him. He got that chance this year and is doing quite well for himself. I've heard it (people crediting him for his determination) and sometimes it makes me feel awkward because I didn't set out to be an example."

Thomas has another reason to enjoy earning his first NHL All-Star Game bid at age 33. He had promised his daughter, 7, a New York City shopping tour. Now, she's going to Atlanta. He realizes that she's old to understand the honor bestowed upon her daddy and it will be a lifetime memory.

"It wasn't that tough a sell," Thomas said. "We asked if she was disappointed and she said she's going to a better place! Actually, we sold her on a trip to the aquarium in Atlanta."