SITTING ALONE
Ex-Ranger knows how it feels to be stuck on bench like Isles backup Berube
T HERE are four-plus months ahead in which Jean-Francois Berube might actually get into a game. But if the Islanders’ No. 3 goaltender somehow spends the entire season on the roster without playing, then one man, and one man only, will be able to identify.
That man is Wayne Thomas, who spent the entire 1974-75 season on the Canadiens’ roster as the third goaltender behind Ken Dryden and Bunny Larocque without getting into a game. You could look it up. Come to think of it, you cannot, for Thomas’ name does not appear in the team or league stats.
Heck, Thomas never even served as a backup the entire year. So Berube, who has dressed for the past six matches and 10 overall, is way ahead of the game, even if he hasn’t been able to get into one while ranked behind Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss on the depth chart.
Four decades and two years later, Thomas — who became John Davidson’s primary partner in nets for the Rangers in 1977-78 and 1978-79 while spending parts of four seasons on Broadway — spoke to Slap Shots about his unique experience.
“I could kind of see it coming with Ken coming back, but that didn’t make the situation any easier,” said Thomas, who had gotten a majority of starts with Larocque as his backup the previous season during which Dryden sat out because of a contract dispute and instead studied law. “I can’t remember if anyone talked to me about it before the season, but Dryden obviously was going to be the guy and Bunny was a high draft pick and an up-and-comer, and then there was me.
“You have to remember, at that time it wasn’t unheard of for teams to carry three goalies, if not for an entire season, then for stretches. There was no roster limit. In New York, we had Soapy [Doug Soetaert] with J.D. and me. There was a time where I remember we had four with the Rangers, when Steve Baker was up. So, it wasn’t like now.”
It wasn’t like now, yet that didn’t make the experience easier for Thomas, who at 27 should have been entering the prime of his career.
“It was painful, and it was frustrating for me,” said Thomas, who later spent 22 years in the San Jose front office, the last 19 of them as assistant general manager before retiring in July 2015. “There was no goalie coach, so it was up to us to handle it the best way we could.
“Practice was awkward. We were competitors, but we were respectful of each other’s job. It was a crazy time, the equipment guys had to lug around stuff for three goalies. With all that, though, I can tell you that I don’t think I dealt with it so great.” Who would? Thomas said he could deal with the situation in a more positive frame of mind following a meeting with legendary general manager Sam Pollock.
“It was right around this time of year. Mr. Pollock called me into his office, explained they were going to stay the course for the rest of the year but promised to trade me to a good situation at the end of the season,” Thomas said. “He told me to try and handle it as best I could and not to become a distraction. That’s what I tried to do.
“I trusted him, and in the end, he did me right by trading me to the Maple Leafs for a No. 1 pick. You don’t see many trades between Montreal and Toronto, but Mr. Pollock kept his word.”
Thomas spent one year as the Leafs’ No. 1 before losing the job to Mike Palmateer the following season. It was then on to New York for the remainder of his playing career.
Four decades later, living in the Falmouth, Mass., area, Thomas is at peace with his lost year. If there is wisdom gained from the experience, these were his words for the 25-yearold Berube:
“I’m not going to comment on the Islanders’ situation, but I know that Berube is a good goalie and that at this point of his career, he is going to get an opportunity,” Thomas said. “I’m sure it’s not easy for him, but if he works with his goalie coach and works hard in practice, it will work out for him. “It’s not the end of the world.” No, but it might seem that way to Berube — who played five games last year for the Islanders and seven for AHL Bridgeport — for as long as he remains on track to join Thomas in the NHL’s Hall of Dubious Achievements.