Tim Thomas capped off a tremendous regular season with an even greater performance in the playoffs, earning himself the Conn Smythe trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. More importantly, he led the Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years.
This, coming one season later after what many considered a lacklustre 2009-10 season, leading some to speculate that Thomas was no longer an elite goaltender.
As a result of his decline in stats last season, it was reflected in his draft position in 2010-11 fantasy leagues. Many managers ranked Thomas much lower than they had the previous year.
In the UHB fantasy league, Robin's Runners got Thomas at a bargain, picking him in the 14th round, 132nd overall.
In another league, the Bruins' stopper was chosen in the 15th round, 230th overall.
But the steal of the century has to be the manager who committed grand larceny by drafting the eventual playoff MVP in the 21st round, 322nd overall!
What did these teams get in return for their late-rounds pick? Just have a look at the stats above to see what has probably earned him another Vezina trophy. Along with the 35 wins and 9 shutouts, the goaltender set an NHL record for save percentage with .938%, breaking Dominek Hasek's record. Not too shabby!
Tell us your Tim Thomas fantasy draft success story. What round did you draft him and what was his draft position overall in your hockey pool? How much did he help your team? How would you rank him for next season? Let us know!
