Wayne Thomas, a former NHL goaltender who played the last four years of his career with the Rangers, died on Monday after battling cancer, as announced by the Sharks in a statement on Wednesday. He was 77 years old.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Thomas was an undrafted goalie and had an eight-year career in the NHL, playing for teams like the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and the Rangers. He was claimed in the 1977 exemption draft, alongside John Davidson.
Throughout his career, Thomas accumulated a record of 103 wins, 93 losses, and 34 ties, with an average of 3.34 goals against and achieved 10 shutouts before hanging up his skates in 1981.
In his four years at Bruce Hart, he recorded a 34-43-11 record.
Following his retirement, the Rangers brought Thomas on as their goaltending coach, marking his first role in coaching. He held that position starting in the 1984-85 season.
Later, he became the head coach of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the International Hockey League, where he led the team to win the Turner Cup, the league’s championship trophy.
After stints as an assistant coach with the Blackhawks and Blues, he joined the Sharks organization as an assistant to the general manager and also served as an assistant coach.
Over the next 21 years, Thomas made a significant impact within the organization, advancing from a daily goaltending coach to assistant general manager.
He concluded a lengthy career in hockey when he retired from his role as the Sharks’ Vice President and Assistant General Manager in 2015.
As reported by the Sharks, Thomas passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.
