The Florida Panthers have called a press conference for Friday to announce the team's new owners, but rumor has it that the club might be gearing up to announce the signing of former Boston Bruins goaltender and Stanley Cup champion Tim Thomas.
CBS Sports reports that New York investor and former part-owner of the NBA Nets Vinny Viola has purchased the club and that Thomas, who was invited to train with the team on a professional tryout contract during its training camp, is expected to be announced as an official member of the team after Viola is revealed as the new owner Friday.
Rumors are circulating that Thomas hasn't been in a game yet for Florida only because he doesn't have an actual contract, and he will most likely be between the pipers for the Panthers when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the club's final preseason tune-up Saturday before the regular-season kicks off Oct. 3 in Dallas against the Stars.
Thomas' defining moment came in the 2010-11 season when he hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Bruins.
Thomas hasn't appeared in the NHL since the 2011-12 season as he opted to sit out the 2012-13 campaign, which eventually became a 48-game lockout-shortened season. In his last full season with the Bruins, Thomas put up a 35-19-1 record through 59 games while also piling up a 2.36 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
After sitting out the entire season last year, Thomas was traded to the New York Islanders on Feb. 7 after he was fined by the Bruins for not showing up to camp. His contract ran out while he continued to stay home, and he never played a game with New York before hitting free agency and opting to try to come back for the 2013-14 campaign.
Boston was fine without Thomas last year, as Tuukka Rask took the team to within two wins of the Stanley Cup before the Bruins eventually fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Since Rask has filled in nicely for Thomas, Boston had no interest in signing him once he opted to return.
Thomas and Jacob Markstrum figure to be the 1-2 goalies for the Bruins as Scott Clemmensen is expected to miss the first three weeks of the season due to a minor procedure he had to undergo on an unspecified area.
Thomas' NHL comeback looks to be officially announced on Friday, and the Panthers are looking to improve on a season that saw the team finish 15-27-6 for just 36 points during the lockout-shortened campaign, and fifth overall in the Southeast division.
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