SAN JOSE -- After 22 seasons in the Sharks organization, assistant general manager Wayne Thomas announced his retirement from hockey on Thursday.
Thomas, 67, recently completed his 19th year in his current post, and his 14th as team vice president. He had been involved in the game for more than 45 years as a player, head coach, assistant coach, scout and executive. He served as an assistant coach with the Sharks from 1993-96, and the former NHL goaltender with often worked with San Jose’s netminders on and off the ice.
"I am very proud to have been a part of this organization and its accomplishments," Thomas said in a statement. "My only regret is not being part of a group that brought a Cup to San Jose. After 22 years of being part of the Hockey Operations of the Sharks, it is time to spend a little more time being a husband, father and grandfather."
Doug Wilson said: "For the last 22 years, Wayne Thomas has been one of the most beloved and respected members of the San Jose Sharks organization. He has a positive impact on numerous areas of our organization during his tenure but probably none so much as his work with our goaltenders. He mentored and coached many of the game's most dominant netminders and he will always have a home here in San Jose."
Thomas joined the Sharks organization prior to the 1993-94 season after three seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues. He was an assistant coach with the Blackhawks in 1987-88, Rangers from 1981-85, and head coach of IHL Peoria from 1988-90 and Salt Lake City from 1985-87, where he won a Turner Cup in 1986.
Thomas, a University of Wisconsin graduate, played 243 NHL games over nine seasons with Montreal, Toronto and the Rangers, recording a 103-93-34 record, including winning a Stanley Cup with Montreal in his rookie year of 1972-73. He was the winning goalie in the 1976 All-Star Game while a member of the Maple Leafs.
