Tim Thomas On Toucher & Rich: 'Prepared Physically For Another Long Year'
BOSTON (CBS) - Bruins goalie Tim Thomas is "feeling good" just two days before the B's raise the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship banner to the rafters at TD Garden.
Thomas spoke with Toucher & Rich Tuesday morning about the team's trip to Maine, his days with the Stanley Cup this summer, the short offseason and the season ahead.
Listen: Toucher & Rich's Best Bruins Moments From The Run For The Cup
Winning it all in mid-June made for a shorter offseason, which Thomas spent some of the time bringing the Cup to his hometown of Davison, Michigan and later to the University of Vermont, where he played college hockey.
The 37-year-old Thomas started every game in the playoffs, which included three seven-game series. Despite little time to rest and relax, Thomas said he's doing just fine.
"Physically I'm feeling good. I didn't carry over any injuries from last year and that's always a good thing. We had a short summer, but I prepared myself physically for another long year and really just looking forward to getting the season started, getting back to a schedule we're used to," Thomas said.
Read: Mark Feldman's The Bear Essentials
In an effort to rest Thomas more during the long season, the Bruins may turn to Tuukka Rask, who had a great 2009-2010 season but struggled at times last year. How the team plans to split up the goalie duties over the 82-game season is not known.
"I don't really expect anything. I just try to break it down into small segments and just be ready to play and play as well as I can when I get the chance to play. They may want to play Tuukka a little bit more, I don't know. I think a lot of it will just depend on how we're playing and whether we're getting success down on the ice," said Thomas.
The hot topic these days in Boston is the epic Red Sox collapse and the aftermath. Thomas, too, was apart of another collapse (even though he watched from the bench) when the Bruins coughed up a 3-0 series lead over the Flyers during the 2010 playoffs and lost the series.
Read: Matt Kalman On CBSBoston
"It's hard, but I do know that going through something like that will definitely increase their hunger for next year. If I'd say anything to them, I'd say let that hunger increase, let it build. Don't get caught up in the disappointment, let it turn into hunger to make the outcome be different next year," Thomas said.
All this and more with Tim Thomas from the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins...
