NHL Debut: Akil Thomas (Apr. 1, 2024)
Former Peterborough Petes and Niagara IceDogs forward Akil Thomas realized a lifelong dream Monday night as he made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
While his time on ice during his debut game against the Jets was limited to just three minutes and 42 seconds, Thomas made the most of every moment, seizing the opportunity to showcase his skills at the highest level of the sport.
In what is now his fourth season playing with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, the 24-year-old Toronto, Ont. native has registered 22 goals and 21 assists in 61 games played this season. Selected in the second round, 51st overall by the Kings in the 2018 NHL Draft, Thomas signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the club on July 8, 2023.
Thomas played four seasons in the OHL, originally being selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the first round (12th overall) of the 2016 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros U16 program. Splitting his final season in Peterborough, Thomas collected 315 points (105-210–315) over 241 career regular season games.
Thomas was voted to the OHL’s first all-rookie team in 2017, won a Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medal with Canada in 2017 and was a Canadian World Junior gold medalist, scoring the deciding goal at the 2020 World Juniors.
Welcome to the National, Akil! 👏#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/lxfqqkOmIS
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 2, 2024
