Tim Thomas Thanks Dr. Bryan Kelly in Accepting Vezina Trophy

NBC Sports—June 23, 2011

After the Bruins won the 2011 Stanley Cup, goalie Tim Thomas was awarded the Vezina Trophy at the 2011 National Hockey League Awards labeling him the best at his position. In his acceptance speech, Thomas thanked his family, teammates, God, and Hospital for Special Surgery's Dr. Bryan Kelly, co-director of the Center for Hip Preservation.

"A little over a year ago I had hip surgery and I didn't know if I'd be able to play at the level that I had become accustomed to playing with ever again," Thomas said. "I'd like to thank Dr. Bryan Kelly for doing the hip surgery and doing such a fantastic job."

Thomas had a quick and successful recovery and had not only led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup victory and won the Vezina Trophy only a year later, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP.

In a New York Times article printed recently after Thomas' surgery, reports said the off-season hip surgery had made him "pain free for the first time in years," and that he was "back atop the league." Thanks in part to the care received from HSS, Thomas indeed had a triple win and will be looking optimistically forward to next season.