Trading Tim Thomas A Reckless Theory For Bruins

Do the risks outweigh the reward of the Bruins potentially shopping Tim Thomas (right) or is Rask (left) ready to take the reins?

Heading into this season, the Bruins knew they had something special in net. Leading the march would once again be Tim Thomas, in the first year of his new 20-million dollar contract, the reigning Vezina winning was coming off a 36-win season and possessed the NHL’s best goals-against-average and save percentage in 2008-09. Backing him up was the Bruins’ prized prospect and mechanical goaltending dream Tuukka Rask. Spending two years in the AHL with a combined regular season record of 60-33-6 with five shutouts, a 2.41 goals against average, and .910 save percentage, the Bruins-World was abuzz with the introduction of Rask into a Boston sweater full-time.

Out of the gate, the Boston Bruins didn’t live up to their daunting expectations, bumbling around lackadaisically and teetering on a .500 record. Their problems were on offense, defense, and their power-play, but one place where they weren’t any glaring issues was in net.

Through two months of play, Thomas had a disappointing 6-6-3 record, but still maintained a .917SV% and had four shutouts to his credit. Sidelined midway through the month with a mysterious hand injury (rumored to be from punching a wall after a frustrating 6-5 overtime loss), the starting job was quickly thrown to Tuukka Rask for a test run. Seizing his opportunity, Rask would finish the 2009 calendar year going 10-3-2 that included a .935 save percentage and even more impressive goals against average of 1.14.

That’s all the critics needed to begin their “Rask over Thomas” campaign, and with the struggles of the Bruins reaching an all-time high last weekend with the club’s ten straight loss (only to be snapped on Sunday in Montreal), rumors of the Bruins beginning to look to trade Tim Thomas were swirling.

As Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun wrote:

The Blackhawks are likely to add a goalie by the March 3 trade deadline. They’d have to bury goalie Cristobal Huet and his $5.625-million cap hit in the minors to make a Thomas deal work, but there is a sense GM Stan Bowman is willing to do it if it improves Chicago’s chances to winning the Stanley Cup.

With Marty Turco set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Stars could be in the market for Thomas as could the Blues and Blue Jackets, neither of whom have gotten the goaltending they expected this season.

First of all, given the Blackhawks’ absolute destruction of the NHL this season, along with two (seemingly) great goaltenders this season with Niemi and Huet, it’s hard to imagine the scenario where the already-cap-beleaguered ‘Hawks are ready to take on Tim Thomas‘ for another three years at five-million dollars. However, as rumor mongering works, the return would be 28-year old forward Patrick Sharp. On pace for a career year in Chicago, Sharp has three years remaining on a contract that pays him 3.9 million dollars.

On the topic of the Stars and Thomas, a rumored deal that would send Stars forward James Neal to Boston in return seems like a great fit, until you realize Neal is an impending restricted-free agent and on pace for 33 goals, the question becomes could the Bruins keep the winger in town in the event of a trade or would it become Phil Kessel II? When it comes to Columbus, Raffi Torres’ name has been thrown around all season long in trade rumors, but call me crazy, but if I’m Peter Chiarelli I’m not moving the 2009 Vezina for another third line player, the Bruins have enough of those.

Boston’s best deal in terms of teams rumored to be interested may be with the Washington Capitals. The offensive machine led by Ovechkin have gotten disappointing results in net from Jose Theodore since last season, and have yet to see Semyon Varlamov put together a healthy stretch in 2009-10. Much like Chicago, it seems unlikely that the Caps would make an Earth-shattering move given their excellence in the standings, but if the B’s are to make a deal with the Caps, a player who could be sent back to Boston and one to Washington that could please both sides could in fact be a Tim Thomas for Alexander Semin deal.

The 24-year old Russian who signed a one-year extension to remain a Capital in 2010-’11, is having another splendid season in the Nation’s Capital with 58 points and 26 goals to date, but has pointed to be yearning to test the open market when his deal is up, making his situation with Washington all the more interesting.

Despite the Armchair-GM’s and their franchise-changing moves, the best move for Boston in the now would be to keep Tim Thomas.

There’s no denying that Thomas has been more than difficult to watch in 2010, owner of a 3-6-2 record and 2.90 goals against average, but handing the keys to Rask after just 31 career games is incredibly dangerous and the latest example to prove it exists right in the Northeast Division. After being the Habs’ most highly touted prospect back in 2007, when Carey Price was called up to the Montreal Canadiens, Habs General Manager Bob Gainey felt his hand being pushed to deal Cristobal Huet out of town and hand the job to the 20-year old Price.

With shades of Patrick Roy, Price shocked Habs fans and the opposition, and eventually Huet was dealt out of town to the Washington Capitals for a second round pick in 2009. Finishing the season by getting knocked out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Philadelphia Flyers, Price has a total of a 34-37-14 record since the start of the 2008-09 season when you include the playoffs with a goals against average approaching 2.80.

Just two years after being deemed untouchable, Carey Price‘s confidence of 2007-08 seems vintage and he is currently in the midst of being ousted out of Montreal by Jaroslav Halak‘s rather ridiculous play this season.

Not only is risking the confidence of Rask getting shattered at just 22-year old’s scare me if I’m Peter Chiarelli, but the lack of solid choices in the Bruins system below Rask are just enough to have me walk away from any sort of Tim Thomas trade. In Providence, former Penguins back-up Dany Sabourin is carrying the P-Bruins starting job with a 20-17-3 record and .919 save percentage. Below him, Kevin Regan sits on the Providence bench and with a 5-6-0 record on the season, the idea of Regan ever becoming an NHL-quality goaltender is quickly fading.

Facing facts, there’s no doubting that Rask is the goaltender of the future in Boston. The keyword though in that phrase is in fact ‘future’. Without question the Bruins need to make a move between now and the trading deadline, but is trading away the defending Vezina and handing the starting job to someone who has a 14-8-5 career record and no NHL playoff experience the right way to go?

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