Bruins Goalie Thomas Considering Taking Year Off

Update at 4 p.m.: Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed that Thomas has told the team that he is seriously considering taking the year off.

The Boston Globe's Kevin Paul Dupont reports that Thomas cited family and fatigue as his reasons for potentially sitting out the season.

Original post:

Tim Thomas, who has twice won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, may not be in a Boston Bruins uniform next year.

ESPN reports:

A source told ESPN.com on Thursday that the 38-year-old Boston Bruins netminder was contemplating taking next season off. Which doesn’t mean he will, but it’s something he’s apparently raised.

Thomas has one year left on a four-year, $20 million contract. The goalie has not stated publicly whether he would like to keep playing beyond his current deal.

As the Boston Globe reports, "[sitting out the season] would be a peculiar decision... The goalie is in good health. During the 2010 offseason, Thomas required hip surgery, but he has been injury-free since the procedure."

But, the Globe reports, "Thomas’s return already was undecided" because his no-trade clause expires next month and, as ESPN writes:

The Bruins have a No. 1 goalie in waiting in Tuukka Rask, so they’d be open to trade offers, especially after a controversy-filled season sparked by Thomas’ decision not to attend the Cup champions’ visit to the White House.

The second-seeded Bruins lost to the seventh-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs.

In other Bruins news Friday, the team signed contract deals with forwards Daniel Paille and Chris Bourque.