Former Bruins great Tim Thomas volunteers to help rebuild flood-damaged buildings in Vermont

“I live up here now. Starting to feel like I'm a part of the community."

Tim Thomas is now living back up in Vermont these days. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

August 7, 2023

3 minutes to read

Former Bruins great and 2011 Stanley Cup champion Tim Thomas made a rare public appearance in New England this week, with the two-time Vezina Trophy winner doing his part to help out flood-damaged communities up in Vermont.

In a video posted by the Bruins on Twitter, Thomas spent Monday helping to rebuild YouthBuild’s Vermont-based facility in the city of Barre.

“It’s been great,” Thomas told Bruins reporter Eric Russo. “I got to learn about a new organization, YouthBuild, and learn about the good work they’re doing with helping a ton of kids to find their way. So it was nice to be able to help them out.”

YouthBuild is a national program that assists young adults ages 16 to 24 by offering them job training and educational opportunities in multiple trades. YouthBuild’s facility in Barre was heavily damaged earlier this summer by the devastating floods that swept through the state.

It’s Timmy Time!#NHLBruins legend Tim Thomas is with the #BearTracks🐾 crew in Barre, Vermont today to help volunteer at YouthBuild as they start to rebuild their facility that was heavily damaged by the devastating flooding earlier this summer. pic.twitter.com/O8GjEJB6fb
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 7, 2023

Thomas has always had a special connection with Vermont. Even though he originally hails from Michigan, Thomas played his collegiate career with the UVM Catamounts from 1993-97, helping lead his team to the school’s first Frozen Four back in 1996.

After Thomas and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, Thomas brought the Cup up to Burlington to celebrate.

“I live up here now,” Thomas explained. “Starting to feel like I’m a part of the community. I always did, which is why I came back. I graduated from the university here and my wife’s from Essex. We came up here in the summertime all the time when I was playing for the Bruins. I know people from Barre, I don’t know anybody that was actually personally affected, but it’s affected the whole area. I’m glad to be a part of this.”

Tank’s breaking out the tools ⚒️ #BearTracks🐾 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/6arNbzValX
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 7, 2023

Despite his impressive career in Boston and role in the team’s first Cup title in 39 years, Thomas has largely been out of the spotlight for the past decade. After retiring from the NHL following the 2013-14 season, Thomas was rarely heard from, both in the media and various hockey circles.

The gifted goaltender resurfaced after being named as part of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019, later detailing the brain damage from his playing career that derailed his life long after he decided to hang up his gear.

A year after his retirement, Thomas underwent a brain scan that revealed that two-thirds of his brain was getting less than 5% blood flow and the other third was averaging about 50%.

“My rebound effect was like, this wasn’t worth it,” Thomas said of the scan results and grappling with post-concussion symptoms. “That’s where I was then. Where I am today is past that. I ended up learning so many lessons out of the experience. It brought me tighter with my family. It taught me a value for life and a value for my brain that I’ve never had before. And I have appreciation for everything that I never had before. I don’t regret anything.”

In the years that followed, Thomas has started to become more visible in the hockey community.

After taking part in the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup Zoom reunion in 2020, Thomas later told The Athletic that he hopes to begin connecting with his former teammates on a more regular basis moving forward.

“About 16 months ago, I came through the other side, so to speak,” Thomas told The Athletic in 2021. “As I continued to get better and better, I’m looking for things to be involved in that are interesting. I’m looking to reconnect with friends and acquaintances that I built over my life.”

With Thomas and his family now situated in Vermont, it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if Thomas makes an anticipated return appearance at TD Garden at some point during the Bruins’ centennial season celebrations throughout the 2023-24 campaign.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Thomas told Russo. “I’m looking forward to seeing some old teammates. It seems like Bruins have planned a lot of exciting events and it should be a fun season.”