Thomas was never drafted by an NHL team, but that didn't stop him from scoring more than 400 goals in a career that lasted 20 seasons and 1,235 games.

Though he was born in Stockport, England, Thomas was raised in Markham, Ontario. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed the 20-year-old forward on May 12, 1994, after he scored 51 goals for the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey League. He was sent to St. Catharines of the American Hockey League in 1984-85, and he was named AHL rookie of the year after he scored 90 points (42 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games. He also played 18 games with the Maple Leafs and scored his first NHL goal on March 30, 1985.

Thomas became an NHL regular the following season, scoring 20 goals in 65 games, and increased those totals to 35 goals and 78 games in 1986-87. But on Sept. 3, 1987, Thomas was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He was limited to 30 and 45 games in his first two seasons with Chicago but was healthy in 1989-90 and scored 40 goals in 76 games.

But after scoring 19 goals in 1990-91 and getting off to a slow start the following season, Thomas was traded to the New York Islanders on Oct. 25, 1991.

Thomas enjoyed the best three-year stretch of his NHL career with New York. He scored 28 goals and had 70 points in 71 games with the Islanders after the trade, then scored 37 and 42 goals the following two seasons. Thomas also had 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) during the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping New York reach the Wales Conference Final.

But the Islanders finished last in the Atlantic Division in 1994-95, and Thomas was traded to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 3, 1995. He scored 26 goals in his first season with New Jersey, but the defending Stanley Cup champs missed the playoffs. He scored 15 and 14 goals in his next two seasons; the Devils allowed him to become a free agent after the 1997-98 season and he rejoined the Maple Leafs in 1998-99.

Thomas scored 28 and 26 goals in his first two seasons with Toronto, but he rejoined the Blackhawks on July 17, 2001 after scoring eight goals in 2000-01. He missed most of 2001-02 with an ankle injury, lost his top-six role in 2002-03 and looked to be nearing the end of his career at age 39 when he was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on March 11, 2003.

But Thomas scored 10 goals for the Mighty Ducks in 12 games after the trade, then scored three game-winning goals in the playoffs to help Anaheim reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Devils. He scored 22 points in 44 games with the Detroit Red Wings after signing as a free agent on Nov. 5, 2003.

Thomas retired with 933 points (421 goals, 512 assists) in 1,235 NHL games, and 107 points (54 goals, 53 assists) in 174 playoff games.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• AHL First All-Star Team (1985)
• Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (Rookie of the Year - AHL) (1985)
• Signed as a free agent by Toronto, May 12, 1984.
• Traded to Chicago by Toronto with Rick Vaive and Bob McGill for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk, September 3, 1987.
• Traded to NY Islanders by Chicago with Adam Creighton for Brent Sutter and Brad Lauer, October 25, 1991.
• Traded to New Jersey by NY Islanders for Claude Lemieux, October 3, 1995.
• Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 30, 1998.
• Signed as a free agent by Chicago, July 17, 2001.
• Traded to Anaheim by Chicago for Anaheim's 5th round choice (Alexei Ivanov) in 2003 Entry Draft, March 11, 2003.
• Signed as a free agent by Detroit, November 5, 2003.