Steve Thomas (ice hockey)

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
played_for = Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Detroit Red Wings
position = Right Wing
shoots = Left
nickname = Stumpy
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 185
nationality = UK
nationality_2 = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1963|7|15|mf=y
birth_place = Stockport, England
draft = Undrafted
career_start = 1984
career_end = 2004

Stephen Anthony "Stumpy" Thomas (born 15 July, 1963 in Stockport) is a retired English-born Canadian ice hockey Right Winger who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Detroit Red Wings.

Trades & Signings

Traded to Chicago by Toronto with Rick Vaive and Bob McGill for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk, September 3, 1987. Traded to NY Islanders by Chicago with Adam Creighton for Brent Sutter and Brad Lauer, October 25, 1991. Traded to New Jersey by NY Islanders for Claude Lemieux, October 3, 1995. Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 30, 1998. Signed as a free agent by Chicago, July 17, 2001. Missed majority of 2001–02 season recovering from ankle injury suffered in game vs. Calgary, November 15, 2001. Traded to Anaheim by Chicago for Anaheim's 5th round choice (Alexei Ivanov) in 2003 Entry Draft, March 11, 2003. Signed as a free agent by Detroit, November 5, 2003.

Playing career

Thomas went undrafted after his junior career but signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He began his NHL career in the 1984–85 season. Thomas was born in Stockport, England but was raised in Markham, Ontario, Canada where he attended Markham District High School. He played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros of the OHL (he was the last original Toronto Marlboro to make it to the Maple Leafs of the NHL). Prior to playing in the NHL Thomas won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award in 1985 as the top rookie in the American Hockey League, while playing for the St. Catharines Saints.

He developed into a bona-fide NHL goal scorer with Toronto, scoring 35 goals in the 1986–87 season. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks that summer and played for Chicago until 1991–92 and was then traded to the New York Islanders.

It would be with the Islanders that Thomas would have his best years. In the 1992–93 season, Thomas scored 37 goals and 50 assists for a career-high of 87 points. During the playoffs, when Islanders superstar Pierre Turgeon was injured by a Dale Hunter check in the first round, Thomas and teammate Ray Ferraro emerged as the unlikely heroes of the Islander's playoff run. Both made the top ten in postseason scoring as the Islanders made their Cinderella run to the Prince of Wales Conference finals. The next year he set a career-high in goals with 42.

Thomas had second stints with the Leafs (1998–2001) and Chicago (2001–2002) before moving to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Despite being considered a great playoff player, Thomas was never able to capture a Stanley Cup in his career. He came close in 2002–03 when his Mighty Ducks of Anaheim made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Ducks eventually lost to the New Jersey Devils in 7 games.

Thomas played one last season (2003–2004) with the Detroit Red Wings before the 2004–05 NHL lockout and proved effective playing on a line with youngster Pavel Datsyuk and Brett Hull. The Wings finished first in the league but lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Calgary Flames.

After the 2004–05 NHL lockout he was invited to the Toronto Maple Leafs tryout in 2005, but he was cut before the regular season started.

He now is working at Plain 'n Simple in Toronto, a promotional sportswear and event company, beginning his career there in November 2006.

He is currently the Assistant/Mentor Coach for the St. Michaels Buzzers, a Jr. A team in Toronto.

Career statistics

Trivia

Steve Thomas appeared in the 1986 hockey-themed movie Youngblood alongside Rob Lowe and Keanu Reeves and, in one scene, is memorably towel-whipped by Patrick Swayze.

"Stumpy" was named the Leaf with the tenth greatest nickname in a "Playstation top ten" list at one Leafs game.

References

* 2005 NHL Official Guide & Record Book ISBN 0-920445-91-8
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/stats?playerId=937 # 32 Steve Thomas RW]

External links

*hockeydb|5377|Steve Thomas