The Philadelphia Flyers couldn't beat Tim Thomas. Now, they want him to join them.
After the Boston Bruins' sweep, Flyers chairman Ed Snider looked into television cameras and vowed a playoff in which his team had to make five in-game goaltending changes during 11 contests wouldn't happen again. But the Flyers most want a two-year goalie, not a four- or five-year goalie like top free agent Ilya Bryzgalov, because they believe in 22-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky. So Thomas, 37, who set the NHL record for save percentage in a season in 2010-11 and has Boston in the Stanley Cup finals, would be perfect for Philadelphia if Boston decides to move him -- a good possibility even if the Bruins win the Cup.
With 24-year-old Tuukka Rask in the wings, and his bargain $1.25 million salary set to expire in July 2012 when he becomes a restricted free agent, Boston began looking to shop Thomas last summer. Thomas will make $5 million next season and $3 million in 2012-13, before becoming a 39-year-old free agent.
He was offered to Philadelphia for Jeff Carter, a deal the Flyers rejected -- and would again, even though that still would leave them having to clear approximately $5 million in cap space elsewhere to make room for a top goalie.