Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas Waives No-trade Clause

Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas Waives No-trade Clause
Fitzgerald Cecilio

Boston, MA

After expressing his intent not to play next season, Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas has waived his no-trade clause, paving the way for his inclusion in deals leading to the NHL Draft.

"He has given me a complete waiver of his no-trade clause," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli told CSNNE.com from Pittsburgh.

"He gave this to me a week and a half ago. In that sense, he's being cooperative if we do decide to trade him. It may not make much of a difference because the no-trade clause is gone at the end of the month," he added.

The no-trade clause is set to expire July 1, but Thomas waived it early to allow the Bruins to deal him for a 2012 draft pick, or as part of a package that includes picks.

Chiarelli said several teams have expressed interest in Thomas, a two-time winner of the Vezina trophy, awarded to the season's best goalie, in 2009 and 2011.

"There's a category of teams inquiring on him for the cap floor, and then there have been a couple of teams inquiring on him if he's coming back," Chiarelli said.

Thomas is attractive to teams seeking financial relief because under the rules, the goalie would count $5 million against the salary cap, yet the team would not need to pay his $3 million salary if he didn't play.

"I'm telling (Thomas) the same things that I've been telling you guys. If you look at it, it's a $5 million cap hit that people won't have to pay. Based on that there is interest, but there's no rush to get him. But if there's more than one team interested then I'd have to look at that," Chiarelli said.

On his Facebook page, Thomas announced his intentions to sit out the season earlier this month.

"At the age of 38, I believe it is time to put my time and energies into those areas and relationships that I have neglected," Thomas wrote. "That is why at this time I feel the most important thing I can do in my life is to reconnect with the three F's. Friends, Family, and Faith. This is what I plan on doing over the course of the next year."

Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. He became the oldest player in league history to win the Conn Smythe at age 37 and the second American-born player to win the award, after Brian Leetch.

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