
Former NHL goalie, coach, executive Wayne Thomas dies at 77
Wayne Thomas, who spent his entire professional career in professional hockey, died of cancer at his home in Falmouth, Mass. on Wednesday. The eight-year National Hockey League goalkeeper and former San Jose Sharks vice president was 77.
A native of Ottawa, Thomas attended the University of Wisconsin and played three seasons (1968-70) for the legendary Bob Johnson, who would go on to winning a Stanley Cup as head coach of the 1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins.
Thomas made his NHL debut for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1972-73 season and became the 10th goalie in league history to record a shutout in his debut as Montreal blanked Vancouver, 3-0 on Jan. 14, 1973. He became the first Wisconsin Badger to play in the NHL.
Thomas was a member of the Stanley Cup winning Montreal squad in 1972-73, although he did not play any games in the playoffs. He was traded to Toronto and earned All-Star Team honors in 1975-76. After two years in Toronto, he played his final four seasons with the New York Rangers (1977-81).
After he retired in 1981, Thomas had several stints as a goalie coach with the Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues over the next decade. In addition, he served as head coach in the International Hockey League for Rangers' and Blues' affiliates.
In 1993, the San Jose Sharks -- a second-year NHL franchise -- hired Thomas as an assistant to the general manager and assistant coach. He worked behind the bench for three seasons, before going upstairs as assistant GM. Thomas became a vice president for the Sharks in 2001 and remained in both roles until his retirement in 2015.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Vancouver Sun
23 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty , more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings . While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct. 'To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,' the statement said. The organization added that it has since introduced mandatory consent training, achieved gender equity on its board, and expanded third-party reporting structures, along with other initiatives. 'As the national governing body for amateur hockey in Canada, Hockey Canada recognizes our role, responsibility and duty to be a leader in delivering a sport that is rooted in safety, inclusiveness and respect,' the statement said. The case caught the attention of many outside the hockey world as well, with federal secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, releasing a statement where he called the case a 'critical moment' in Canadian sports. He said it sparked a national conversation on the culture of men's hockey. 'It is the voices of women, and the courage and bravery it takes to come forward, that have led to the changes and toxic culture that we are seeing,' he said. 'It's critical that this work on safe sport continues across the sports system, because we know that when safeguards are weak or absent, real harm occurs.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .


Winnipeg Free Press
23 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
MLB trade deadline: Eugenio Suárez, Mitch Keller, Seth Lugo among prized players who could move
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks got the trade deadline party started on Thursday night when they dealt 2024 All-Star Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners for two pitching prospects. That probably won't be the last time the D-backs make news before the July 31 deadline. Arizona has had a disappointing season with a 50-53 record and now appears to be one of the most active sellers on the MLB market, dangling third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. The potential buyers include teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are all trying to beef up their rosters in hopes of a deep playoff run. The market is heating up quickly: The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies on Friday while the Mets added left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Orioles. The D-backs have been one of the most intriguing teams in baseball over the past few weeks because management has had to make a tough decision whether to buy or sell. Arizona had a 50-50 record after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals following the All-Star break but were then swept by the Houston Astros. Those three losses appeared to seal their fate as sellers — though Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said he's still open to changing course. 'I want to see this team to continue to go out there and play,' Hazen said. 'I haven't decided what it's going to look like, honestly. I'm open-minded to a number of different things. … Quite frankly, we're listening to what people have to say and what people have to offer and we're going to do what's best for the long term for this organization.' Naylor's already gone and he'll help a Seattle lineup that could use a little more punch. Suárez is having one of the best seasons of his career, slugging 36 homers over 101 games, and is arguably the best bat on the market. Here's a look at some of the top players who could be available as teams try to upgrade for the stretch run: Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks Suarez is just an average defensive third baseman these days, but that's not why teams want to acquire him. He's got the kind of bat that can carry a team for weeks at a time, major pop from the right side of the plate. He has 312 career homers, is well-liked in the locker room and has been productive in limited postseason at-bats with a .300 average. Mitch Keller, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates The 29-year-old Keller has been overshadowed in the Pirates' rotation thanks to the emergence of young star Paul Skenes, but the right-hander has been a reliable starter for the past four seasons and was an All-Star in 2023. The one catch is it'll take a sizable haul for the Pirates to make a deal: He's under contract through 2028 as part of a relatively reasonable $77 million, five-year deal. Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals Lugo has thrived in Kanas City over the past three seasons, moving to the starting rotation from the bullpen and providing consistent results. The 2024 All-Star has a 7-5 record with a 2.95 ERA over 19 starts this year. Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks Gallen is having the worst full season of his career with a 7-11 record and 5.58 ERA but could still be an attractive add for a team that needs a starter. The 29-year-old right-hander has been one of the top pitchers in the National League over the past five years, finishing in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting in 2020, 2022 and 2023. His stuff is still good and he's had a handful of dominant starts this season. Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks The 36-year-old righty has quietly been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball with a 9-5 record and 3.32 ERA. He was also excellent during the D-backs' postseason run in 2023 with a 3-1 record, 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 24 innings. Kelly doesn't have an overpowering fastball but has a five-pitch mix that has consistently delivered results. Sandy Alcantara, SP, Miami Marlins Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The 29-year-old Alcantara isn't the same pitcher he was when he won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award, but the right-hander still has quite a bit of upside. He gave up just one unearned run over seven innings in a win against the Padres on Wednesday, which might help his value. His rotation partner Edward Cabrera — another right-hander — could also garner attention with a 3.48 ERA over 17 starts. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/DH, Baltimore Orioles The 31-year-old is having a career year with a .281 average, .375 on-base percentage and 14 homers, helping him earn All-Star honors for the first time in his career. His left-handed bat would be useful in a contender's lineup. ___ AP MLB:


Edmonton Journal
23 minutes ago
- Edmonton Journal
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Article content Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. Article content On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty, more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Article content Article content Article content Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Article content Article content 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' Article content The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Article content In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. Article content Article content 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' Article content Article content They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' Article content The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Article content Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. Article content In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct.