Akil Thomas (born January 2, 2000) is a Canadian-American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
* Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...
currently playing for the
Ontario Reign
The Ontario Reign are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Ontario, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, the team plays ...
in the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) as a prospect to the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. Prior to the
2018 NHL Entry Draft
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the 56th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 22–23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the second of two professional sports drafts to be held in the Dalla ...
, Thomas was projected as a top eligible draft pick. He was eventually drafted in the second round, 51st overall, by the Los Angeles Kings.
Thomas began his
major junior hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
career with the
Niagara IceDogs
The Niagara IceDogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was originally known as the Mississauga IceDogs and founded in 1996. The team was relocated to St. Cathar ...
in 2016. While with the team, Thomas set a new franchise record for regular-season points scored by a rookie and was named their
captain. Upon returning from international competition in 2020, he was traded to the
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.
...
.
Internationally, Thomas has represented
Team Canada at the
2017 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship was the 19th IIHF World U18 Championship and was hosted by Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia. The tournament was played from 13 to 23 April 2017. Finland entered the tournament as the defending champions ...
,
2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
The 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament was an under-18 international ice hockey tournament held in Břeclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia from 7 to 12 August 2017.
Preliminary round
''All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC ...
,
2018 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship was the 20th IIHF World U18 Championship. The tournament was played from 19 to 29 April 2018 in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia. United States lost to Finland.
Top Division
Match officials
12 referees an ...
and
2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2020 Ice Hockey World Junior Championships (''2020 WJC'') was the 44th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. It began on December 26, 2019, and ended with the gold medal game being played on January 5, 2020. Canada defeated Ru ...
.
Playing career
Early career
As a youth, Thomas played with the
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The Marlboros ...
in the
GTHL
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
where he scored a team-leading 72 points in 56 games.
He then played for the
St. Michael's Buzzers in the
Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...
(OJHL) before being selected 12th overall by the
Niagara IceDogs
The Niagara IceDogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was originally known as the Mississauga IceDogs and founded in 1996. The team was relocated to St. Cathar ...
at the 2016 OHL priority draft.
While with the Buzzers, Thomas led the team in playoff points with 13 in seven games. He eventually signed a standard player agreement with the IceDogs on June 4, 2016. Prior to being drafted by the Ice Dogs, their head scout
John Neville described him as a mix of Alex Friesen and
Nazem Kadri
Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his juni ...
.
Major junior
In his first year of the OHL, during the
2016–17 season, Thomas recorded 48 points in 61 games. He scored his first career OHL point in a 3–1 win over the
North Bay Battalion
The North Bay Battalion is a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was founded as the Brampton Battalion on December 3, 1996, and began play in 1998
1998 was designated as ...
on September 23, 2016. He scored his first career OHL goal in the following game to help lead the IceDogs over the
Erie Otters
The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...
. Thomas earned Rookie of the Month for the month of October honours
and set a new franchise record for regular season points scored by a rookie. On April 20, 2017, Thomas was named to the OHL's 2017 All-Rookie team.
At the end of the
2016–17 season he finished second overall in OHL rookie of the year voting.
Due to his success as a rookie, Thomas was named one of the
alternative captains for the IceDogs before the
2017–18 OHL season. He finished the regular season leading the team with 81 points and ended the postseason third in team scoring with 11 points in 10 games.
Leading up to the
2018 NHL Entry Draft
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the 56th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 22–23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the second of two professional sports drafts to be held in the Dalla ...
, Thomas was considered a first round draft pick,
with the final ranking from the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the profe ...
placing Thomas 15th overall for North American skaters. Thomas was eventually drafted in the second round, 51st overall, by the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. After the draft, Thomas stated that he would "make every team that didn't draft me regret it, and that's kind of my mentality for the next few months getting ready for the season."
Prior to the 2018–19 season, Thomas was again named an alternate captain for the IceDogs and was invited to the Los Angeles Kings development camp. Upon returning to the OHL for the new season, he earned OHL Player of the Week honours during its opening week after recording five points in an 8–6 win over the
Mississauga Steelheads
The Mississauga Steelheads are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The Steelheads play their games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga.
History
The OHL originated in Missi ...
. Shortly thereafter, Thomas recorded another five point night on October 12, in a 7–2 win over the
Barrie Colts. As a result of his overall playmaking ability and skill, the Kings signed Thomas to a three-year, entry-level contract on March 16, 2019. At the time of his signing, Thomas ranked ninth in points and tied for fourth in assists. The day after he signed his contract, Thomas recorded his 100th point of the season. Teammate Ben Jones also recorded his 100th point in the same game, making the pair the first teammates to reach 100 points since 2007–08. During the
2018–19 OHL playoffs, Thomas recorded four points in five games to help the IceDogs beat the
North Bay Battalion
The North Bay Battalion is a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was founded as the Brampton Battalion on December 3, 1996, and began play in 1998
1998 was designated as ...
. In the second round, he was similarly effective, recording two points in three games, however, the IceDogs would lose to the
Oshawa Generals.
After attending the Kings rookie camp, Thomas was named the IceDogs captain for the 2019–20 season. In his first three games of the season, Thomas recorded three points and eventually tied the team's franchise record for most assists in a game. The new record came while he recorded a new career high of single game assists with a five assist night in an 8–4 win over the
Kingston Frontenacs. On October 19, he was named to
2019 CIBC Canada/Russia Series alongside teammate
Philip Tomasino and he recorded a goal in their first game against Russia. After returning from the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship on January 9, 2020, Thomas was traded to the
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.
...
in exchange for Cameron Butler and four draft picks. Throughout his major junior career, Thomas wore number 44 on his jersey. Upon arriving to the Petes, Thomas called the brother of the late
Steve Montador to ask for permission to wear the number.
Professional
On September 22, 2020, Thomas was loaned to
Eisbären Berlin
Eisbären Berlin (; English: ''Berlin Polar Bears'') is a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey, and is also o ...
of the DEL due to the delayed start of the 2020–21 North American season. He returned to the Reign's roster and played on a line with
Quinton Byfield
Quinton Byfield (born August 19, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Byfield was selected second ...
and
Devante Smith-Pelly, the first all-black line in professional hockey since
Herb Carnegie,
Ossie Carnegie, and
Manny McIntyre in the 1940s. During their first game together, Thomas recorded a natural hat-trick and his line combined for six points in the eventual win.
International play
Thomas holds dual citizenship with Canada and the United States and has chosen to represent Canada internationally. In 2016, Thomas was selected to represent Canada White at the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, ON. He was named an alternate captain as well and scored 3 points in 5 games.
Thomas again represented Canada when he played on
Team Canada's under 18 team at the
2017 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship was the 19th IIHF World U18 Championship and was hosted by Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia. The tournament was played from 13 to 23 April 2017. Finland entered the tournament as the defending champions ...
in Slovakia, where Canada placed 5th overall.
In the same year, he also represented Canada during the
2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
The 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament was an under-18 international ice hockey tournament held in Břeclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia from 7 to 12 August 2017.
Preliminary round
''All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC ...
, where he scored 6 points to help Canada win their 21st gold title. After the IceDogs were eliminated from the playoffs, Thomas was selected to play for Team Canada at the
2018 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship was the 20th IIHF World U18 Championship. The tournament was played from 19 to 29 April 2018 in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia. United States lost to Finland.
Top Division
Match officials
12 referees an ...
. He recorded two points in four games and Canada placed fifth overall in the tournament.
On December 21, Thomas was named to Team Canada's roster for the
2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2020 Ice Hockey World Junior Championships (''2020 WJC'') was the 44th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. It began on December 26, 2019, and ended with the gold medal game being played on January 5, 2020. Canada defeated Ru ...
. He played on the fourth line during the tournament and recorded his only goal in the gold medal round against Russia, the gold medal-winning goal. As a result of his achievement, the Regional Municipality of Niagara deemed January 9, 2020, as "Akil Thomas Day."
Personal life
Thomas's mother is of
Barbadian heritage, and his father, Kahlil, is originally from Toronto.
His father played hockey with the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
American Hockey League affiliate, the
St. John's Maple Leafs
The St. John's Maple Leafs were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, at Memorial Stadium from 1991 to 2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001 to 2005. The team was ...
. Akil joins his father in the scoring of a championship goal, Kahlil playing for the (then)
Memphis RiverKings
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memphi ...
of the
CHL scored the goal which won Memphis the second of two
Ray Miron President's Cup
The Ray Miron President's Cup is a trophy that was awarded to the playoff champion of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2002 until 2014, when the remaining CHL teams joined the ECHL. The trophy was known as The William "Bill" Levins Memorial Cup ...
s in 2002–03. His uncle Leo Thomas also played minor hockey, including some years with the
Mississippi RiverKings
The Mississippi RiverKings were a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings were a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League from 2011 to 2018 after playing their first nineteen seasons (1992–2011) in the Central Hock ...
and
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This team was previously a member of the Central Hockey League, the original Inte ...
.
In May 2018, his uncle was named head coach of the
Macon Mayhem
The Macon Mayhem are a Southern Professional Hockey League team based in Macon, Georgia, and play in the Macon Coliseum. The team was formerly the Augusta RiverHawks, who suspended operations for the 2013–14 season due to ice system failure at Ja ...
of the
Southern Professional Hockey League, becoming the first black head coach for a professional ice hockey team in North America since
John Paris Jr. accomplished the feat in the 1990s. Thomas is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
Thomas was born in Toronto; however, his family regularly moved around due to his dad's minor hockey career.
After his father retired from hockey the family decided to stay in
Orlando, Florida, which Thomas lists as his hometown.
However, when Thomas was 11 the family decided to move back to Toronto to allow for him to get better hockey-related opportunities.
Growing up, Thomas attended
St. Michael's College School
St. Michael's College School, (also known as St. Michael's, St. Mike's, and SMCS), is an independent, Catholic school for young men in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Cana ...
, where he was advised to skip a grade thus allowing Thomas to enroll in classes at
Brock University
Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bears t ...
.
While playing with the Toronto Marlboros, Thomas made a cameo appearance in the film "
Soul On Ice: Past, Present & Future," which discusses the history of black players in hockey. His appearance was due to the director, Damon Kwame Mason, being a personal family friend.
Thomas also runs a clothing company called Zale Apparel with his friend Ethan Low which embraces his Barbadian heritage.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Akil
2000 births
Living people
American men's ice hockey centers
Black Canadian ice hockey players
Canadian ice hockey centres
Canadian people of Barbadian descent
Ice hockey people from Florida
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Los Angeles Kings draft picks
Niagara IceDogs players
Ontario Reign (AHL) players
Sportspeople from Orlando, Florida
Sportspeople from Toronto