An emotional Tim Thomas discusses struggles with life after hockey

By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com

The Tim Thomas story is as fascinating as it is (seemingly) bizarre.

A true rags to riches athlete, Thomas found himself on top of the hockey world after delivering a Stanley Cup to the Bruins in 2011 in what will go down as the most insane postseason run we've ever seen. He then walked away from the organization less than a year later (with some White House "controversy" and polarizing Facebook posts sprinkled in there), reappeared for 48 games between the Panthers and Stars in the 2013-14 season, and quietly disappeared.

Completely.

Thomas, who departed for Colorado (and later moved to Idaho) after his exit from hockey at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season, was a man who did not want to talk and did not want to be found.

And now we have a good idea as to why.

Speaking with reporters ahead of his induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (and after making an almost surprise appearance at last night's Bruins-Capitals game at Capital One Arena), Thomas talked about the hell his life has been since his retirement from pro hockey due to concussion problems.

While Thomas did not miss any time during his nine-year run with the Bruins due to a diagnosed concussion, it's not hard to imagine Thomas' bell being rung at various points given the life of a goalie as well as the violent nature of his style in net. Thomas, one of the fiercest battlers in his net, also cited a concussion sustained during his 2013 run with the Panthers as the injury that changed legitimately everything for him, and essentially accelerated his exit from hockey and move into what he obviously considers a necessary exile to get his mind back to where it needed to be to function in everyday life.

"I couldn't communicate with anybody for a few years," Thomas, now 45 years old, told reporters. "I didn't call my dad. I didn't talk to anybody. There was a time period where I hated the game, so to speak. My rebound effect was like, this wasn't worth it.

"I didn't want to talk about this. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to tell the world this stuff.

"Not till I felt ready, and I didn't feel ready yet. But here I am."

Ready or not, and still dealing with some of the effects of the damage suffered throughout his career, Thomas does seem to be in a better, healthier headspace these days, even after returning to an NHL arena for the first time since he walked away from the game over five years ago on Wednesday.

Thomas spent eight of his nine NHL seasons with the Bruins, earning four All-Star honors, winning the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in both 2008-09 and 2010-11, and winning the Conn Smythe during Boston's run to the Cup in 2011.