Steve Thomas (ice hockey)
Canadian right winger who played 20 NHL seasons.
Stephen Antony 'Stumpy' Thomas is a Canadian former ice hockey right winger who played 20 seasons in the NHL for six teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks. He is notable for his goal-scoring ability and for being the last original Toronto Marlboro to reach the Maple Leafs.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Right wing
- Shoots
- Left
- Born
- 15 July 1963
- Birthplace
- Stockport, England
- Draft
- Undrafted
Facts from the source article.
Playing career
Thomas grew up in Markham, Ontario, after being born in England, and went to Markham District High School, where a teacher once warned him that hockey wouldn't carry him forever. He played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros in the OHL and became the last original Marlboro to reach the Maple Leafs. Before his NHL debut, he won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award in 1985 as the AHL's top rookie with the St. Catharines Saints. Going undrafted, he signed with Toronto as a free agent and started his NHL career in 1984–85. By 1986–87, he had 35 goals for the Leafs, then was traded to Chicago that summer. He stayed with the Blackhawks until 1991–92, when he moved to the New York Islanders. His best seasons came there: in 1992–93, he posted 37 goals and 50 assists for a career-high 87 points. After Pierre Turgeon got hurt in the playoffs, Thomas and Ray Ferraro became unlikely stars, helping the Islanders reach the conference finals. The following year, he set a personal best with 42 goals. Thomas later had second stints with Toronto (1998–2001) and Chicago (2001–2002) before joining the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. With Chicago, he managed only 4 goals, but after the trade to Anaheim, he scored 10 in his last 12 regular-season games and added 4 more in the playoffs as the Ducks reached their first Stanley Cup Finals. The team wanted to keep him for 2003–2004 but ran out of money. Thomas never won a Cup; his closest shot came in 2002–03, when Anaheim lost to New Jersey in a seven-game Finals.
Post-playing career
Thomas served as an assistant/mentor coach for the St. Michael's Buzzers, a Jr. A team in Toronto. On September 3, 2010, he was named player development consultant for the Tampa Bay Lightning, working with Steve Yzerman. He later worked as an assistant coach for the Lightning from 2012 to 2016. On June 30, 2016, he was named an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues, spending one season on their staff.
Personal life
Thomas and his wife Lori have two children: a son Christian (born 1992) and a daughter Lauren (born 1994). Christian Thomas plays for HC Bozen-Bolzano of the Austrian Hockey League and was drafted 40th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2nd round of the 2010 NHL entry draft. Lauren married Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique. Steve and Christian Thomas are the first father-son combination to each score 50 goals in a single OHL season.
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