News Article: Should The Bruins Retire Tim Thomas’ Number?

[Bruinaura]

If there were a Bruins HOF, I'd put him there. But no from me on retiring his number.

Zee and Bergy are the only current/recent numbers I feel will qualify being retired, as of today.

 

[LSCII]

Time heals all wounds. Thomas seems to be a complex guy and he was dealing with concussion stuff that most weren’t aware of. Recently he’s been more of a public figure (US HHOF induction), so I don’t consider any of the off the ice stuff to be deal breakers. I just don’t believe he has the body of work to merit the honor.

He was great for a period of time, but that time period wasn't long enough to make him one of the all time greats. I completely understand that line of thinking, and it's fair. The one caveat is that he got them a cup win for the first time in a loooooooooong time. I don't think the team would be above the cheap move to retire a number from a player with a short but great run, I just don't think it would be for this guy, and I don't think he really would be open to it either. I mean maybe given it's been years, but has he appeared at any Bruins games or events? Has he done any media and talked about the team? I know there were a ton of rumors about him supposedly being one of the flag bearers for a finals game last year, but it never happened, right?

I'm asking for real, because I don't recall....

 

[ON3M4N]

I’m in the group that would say no because Thomas didn’t do it over a long enough period of time. However, I don’t understand the people saying (not here) that he had “one good year”. I don’t think that’s true either. He had some very good years in Europe as well as NHL on top of that (which doesn’t influence the Jersey thing in Boston obviously).

Also, I know this is important for some, but it doesn’t appear that winning a Cup enters into the discussion as far as the Bruins FO are concerned? More than a third of their retired jerseys are not Cup winners (Bourque, Neely, Middleton, O’Reilly).

True, but then it goes back a longevity deal. 3 of the 4 guys are top 10 in GP for the Bruins. Neely of course being the one that isn't, but also had a shortened career. For Neely I think he sits 6th in goals and 2nd in G/GP. From that list you can see it takes a pretty special player to get their # retired without a cup.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

100% NO! Gerry Cheevers wore tha number and he's in the HHOF. If Cheevers didn't get it retired, Thomas certainly isn't going to.

WHA.

Thomas is at the front of the line even if Rask now has more tenure and better overall stats. Cheevers would be 3.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

If there were a Bruins HOF, I'd put him there. But no from me on retiring his number.

Zee and Bergy are the only current/recent numbers I feel will qualify being retired, as of today.

Marchand has earned it as has Krejci.

Pasternak only needs a couple more years like this.

You’d want to see someone else in 63 or 88? Weird.

 

[LSCII]

I think the practice of retiring numbers is something that should be done with. Set up a ring of honor for the all time greats, and set up a team HoF to honor the others. But no more retiring of numbers please.

 

[Troublesome 85]

Yes. He was major in the teams last cup. I just think he’s disliked for other reasons.

retire Timmy, Bergy and Chara

 

[Bruinaura]

Marchand has earned it as has Krejci.

Pasternak only needs a couple more years like this.

You’d want to see someone else in 63 or 88? Weird.

Where did I say that? They could easily just not give anyone those numbers without retiring them. For the record, I suspect if Pasta maintains his current pace, he will likely reach jersey retirement status.... But not as of today, as I said.

Personally I don't retire Marchand's number. I can see the argument, but he only reaches the nonexistent Bruins HOF for me.

 

[BruinsBtn]

The reason you retire numbers is to give players an incentive to stay when it comes to contract time. It's a non-monetary reward that goes a long way.

Given that, I'd retire all of: Rask, Marchand, Krejci, Bergeron, Chara and Thomas without a shadow of a doubt. And you show that to guys like Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy when you ask them to take a hometown discount.

 

[ON3M4N]

Marchand has earned it as has Krejci.

Pasternak only needs a couple more years like this.

You’d want to see someone else in 63 or 88? Weird.

Wayne Cashman has better numbers than both Krejci and Marchand and his number isn't retired. He was also a 2x Stanley Cup Champion and served as the teams Captain for 6 years.

 

[ON3M4N]

The reason you retire numbers is to give players an incentive to stay when it comes to contract time. It's a non-monetary reward that goes a long way.

Given that, I'd retire all of: Rask, Marchand, Krejci, Bergeron, Chara and Thomas without a shadow of a doubt. And you show that to guys like Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy when you ask them to take a hometown discount.

What? Having you're # retired isn't a negotiation chip during contract talks.

 

[Otherworld]

One word here.
YES

 

[BruinsBtn]

What? Having you're # retired isn't a negotiation chip during contract talks.

Why not? If I was offering a very good player a contract to be on the team long-term, I'd walk him down, show him the rafters and say "you want to take the money somewhere else, or do you want to be immortal here?"

 

[World of Ice]

No, only due to longevity but I look at like this: I'm not going to view him any differently whether his number is retired or not. The guy is a Bruins legend no matter what in my eyes even if his tenure isn't as long as others.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

If any Bruins goalie should have his number retired its Tiny Thompson.

 

[Kate08]

I love Tim Thomas.

We wouldn't have a Cup without him.

He doesn't deserve to have his number retired. Wasn't here long enough and didn't dominate for long enough. He, rightfully, should have a place of honor in Bruins history but his number should not be retired.

 

[Maine Fan]

Close call. He didn’t have a long dominant stretch but my goodness he was a sight to watch when he was among the leagues best. They don’t sniff the cup without him

I think we’ll end up seeing Chara/Bergy/Possibly Marchand up there from the cup team. If Thomas sneaks in there I certainly won’t complain. I don’t know if he was elite for long enough though. I lean no

Funny, how about "maybe"

 

[Maine Fan]

If you retire Timmy, you have to retire Tuukka too. No question.

That is a lame reason, because Tuukka doesn't deserve it in your opinion, Timmy doesn't deserve consideration?

 

[TwineTickler]

If the Bruins were some mickey-mouse organization that retired the numbers of basically every noteworthy player like some teams do, I'd say yes, Thomas should be up there.

But their not. The Bruins have a long history of great players and only retire the numbers of the very best players with significant tenure with the franchise. That's not Tim Thomas.

Agreed. Even though he hasn't won a cup as a starter... Tuukka is in a better position to get his number retired then Timmy... at least IMO.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

Marchand has earned it as has Krejci.

Pasternak only needs a couple more years like this.

You’d want to see someone else in 63 or 88? Weird.

Krejci has a better argument than Marchand now, IMO, but I don’t think he’ll get his retired. If Marchand finishes strong here with more insane seasons, he’ll have a case.

Not many guys start as fourth-line grinders with 0PTS in 20GP and then rattle off 35G+ and 100PTS for the very team he started with.

As for the goalies, I don’t know. What Thomas did for a few of those seasons was obviously very special. You don’t win a cup with him and the franchise might not have had the resurgence they had without him. But, he didn’t really do it long enough I don’t think.

Rask, whether people complain about him or not still, has been consistently winning and keeping this team afloat for years and years. He’s part of the main reason the team made it down to the wire in two Stanley Cup Finals so far, as well.

Rask now has the most wins and has offered undeniable stability in net— even during the three-year playoff drought in which this team was a mess. He’s probably worthy of a strong case.

Thomas is probably deserving of the HHoF, especially since he got into USA’s. Just not sure he’s at the level of “never wear his number again” status for Boston.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Wayne Cashman has better numbers than both Krejci and Marchand and his number isn't retired. He was also a 2x Stanley Cup Champion and served as the teams Captain for 6 years.

Identical with DK Marchand a little better 646 points in 751 games and he was just as good first few seasons before the stats showed up.

DK- 686 points in 911 games

Cashman- 793 in 1027 games

Cashman should be up there once O Rielly and Middleton lowered the bar a bit. Before 27 was retired it was unbelievably hard to get in the rafters. Cashman never played for another NHL franchise either which absolutely works for him. The only thing I'd say is retiring 12 is a little different than retiring 63.

Granted I'm younger but I don't associate the number 12 with Wayne Cashman. I see a 63 and I immediately think of Brad Marchand and it doesn't have to be hockey related. How can you let someone else wear 63 for the Bruins?

 

[Spooner st]

Two #30 banners, one each for Thomas and Cheevers.

I can agree with this.

 

[Spooner st]

I'll go against the grain and say yes.

What if he played 5 more years with stellar numbers but didn't have a Cup? He would have the gaudy numbers some seem to want, but without the most coveted prize.

So what's more important - padding one's individual stats through longevity (in rather meaningless regular season games), or winning the Cup, which had eluded Boston for nearly 4 decades?

And as Thomas' Conn Smythe attests, that Cup win doesn't happen without him.

Plus I think Thomas' longevity gets underestimated. He was a 4 time All Star, won two Vezinas, a Jennings, in addition to a Conne Smythe and Stanley Cup. Mix in his rags-to-riches journeyman story, and I believe he's earned it.

I've been fans of players who put up HOF numbers but never won the big one - Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell. And though he has a Cup as a backup, Rask has had two chances in the Finals. Because Thomas won the Cup, that puts him over the top.

Very good points.

 

[Spooner st]

If you retire Timmy, you have to retire Tuukka too. No question.

Until Rask wins THE CUP, it's a no.

 

[ON3M4N]

Why not? If I was offering a very good player a contract to be on the team long-term, I'd walk him down, show him the rafters and say "you want to take the money somewhere else, or do you want to be immortal here?"

That completely different then using it as a negotiation chip. Using it as a negotiation chip would be "hey if you take a discount we'll retire your number".