Akil Thomas

[DangerCat]

What’s everyone’s opinion on this guy? He was a prolific scorer in junior and quite hyped in his junior years. He seemed to hit a wall and fade away but at age 24 he has had a pretty good AHL season. But then in a small sample size getting 8 minutes a night he puts up 3 goals and 1 assist in the NHL. I mean a 0.5ppg inmate 8 mins a night…is there anything here? I know it’s a small sample size, but given his highly touted junior years could he be a late bloomer? Thoughts?

[senryu]

24 years old, 4 years in the AHL, and the best he's been able to do is about .75 ppg in the AHL this year? He's never had a stunning year, always decent, but never stellar. That could lead to a 3rd or 4th line role, but not one useful in fantasy. He needs to go to a team that has nothing so he can get ice time. He won't be on a scoring line on a league average team.

[DangerCat]

I think I am just captivated by his 8 mins of average ice time and his good production with it.

[Bubba55]

An awful lot of junior hockey players are prolific scorers but only a small percentage actually go on to have full NHL careers. Thomas was good but he didn't stand out, a late 2nd round, 51st overall, draft pick. Now at the age of 24 and with only 7 NHL games played, I don't like Thomas's chances of suddenly breaking onto the scene and establishing an NHL career. Never say never, but it seems unlikely. I think a career AHL player is far more likely than an NHL player. The fact that he is behind Alex Turcotte on the Kings depth chart doesn't help much either. Perhaps a move to a bottom feeder team might give him a chance, but with the Kings, it just seems highly unlikely.