Former NHL goaltender Tim Thomas said Thursday that his post-concussion syndrome symptoms were so severe that he couldn't make basic decisions and his brain wasn't functioning well enough to even watch hockey.
In his first public appearance since walking away from the game, Thomas said a scan taken after he retired showed that two-thirds of his brain were getting less than 5% blood flow and the other third was getting less than 50%. The 45-year-old said it took significant time and help to even be able to communicate with former teammates and others.
He's still not close to normal.
Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33), Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, and the 2019 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class, from second left to second right: Tim Thomas, Brian Gionta, Krissy Wendell and Neal Henderson stand on the ice for a ceremonial puck drop before an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
“I wake up every day and basically I have to reorder everything in my mind for the first couple hours of the day and then make a list and try to make some choices to get some stuff done,” Thomas said before being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Thomas won the Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins and was named playoff MVP. He played parts of 10 NHL seasons before retiring in 2014 but said his experiences made him question if it was all worth it.
“It taught me a value for life and a value for my brain that I've never had before,” Thomas said. "And I have appreciation for everything that I never had before. I don't regret anything."
Long considered reclusive, Thomas said he lived in the woods for a couple of years because he couldn't handle human interaction. He got a chance to talk to some old teammates at a game Wednesday nights between the Bruins and Washington Capitals.
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