Akil Thomas Bio
Akil Thomas (born January 2, 2000) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who plays for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 51st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and has since developed into one of the more talked-about two-way centres of his draft class. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing around 170 pounds, Thomas combines speed, hockey sense, and a responsible two-way game.
Although born in Toronto, Thomas grew up moving frequently because of his father’s minor hockey career and later settled in Orlando, Florida, which he considers his hometown. He returned to Toronto at age 11 to pursue stronger hockey opportunities. Thomas has represented Canada on multiple international stages and is recognized for his playmaking, leadership, and for being part of one of the most memorable line combinations in recent AHL history.
Early Life and Background
Akil Thomas was born in Toronto, Ontario, but his family moved often due to his father’s career in professional and minor hockey. His mother is of Barbadian heritage, while his father, Kahlil Thomas, is originally from Toronto. Kahlil played hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the St. John’s Maple Leafs, and later scored a championship-winning goal for the Memphis RiverKings of the Central Hockey League (CHL) in 2002–03. Akil’s uncle, Leo Thomas, also played minor professional hockey with organizations including the Mississippi RiverKings and the Fort Wayne Komets.
After his father retired, the family settled in Orlando, Florida, which Thomas has publicly listed as his hometown. When Akil was 11 years old, the family moved back to Toronto so that he could access stronger competitive hockey programs. He attended St. Michael’s College School, where his academic advisors recommended that he skip a grade, allowing him to take classes at Brock University at a young age. Growing up in this deeply hockey-rooted household, Thomas was constantly around the sport, which shaped his early ambitions.
Path to Hockey
Thomas began his competitive path with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), where he posted a team-leading 72 points in 56 games as a youth player. He then moved to the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), where he led the team in playoff scoring with 13 points in seven games. His strong performance at the junior B level caught the attention of Ontario Hockey League (OHL) scouts, and the Niagara IceDogs selected him 12th overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Draft. He signed a standard player agreement with the IceDogs on June 4, 2016.
Even before reaching the major junior ranks, Thomas represented Canada at the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where he served as an alternate captain and posted three points in five games. Niagara IceDogs head scout John Neville compared his style to a blend of Alex Friesen and Nazem Kadri, foreshadowing the all-around offensive game Thomas would soon showcase.
Akil Thomas Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
In his first OHL season of 2016–17 with the Niagara IceDogs, Thomas recorded 48 points in 61 games. He picked up his first career OHL point in a 3–1 win over the North Bay Battalion on September 23, 2016, and followed it up the next game with his first OHL goal against the Erie Otters. Thomas earned OHL Rookie of the Month honors for October and set a new franchise record for points by a Niagara IceDogs rookie. He was later named to the OHL All-Rookie Team and finished second overall in OHL Rookie of the Year voting.
During the 2017–18 season, Thomas was named an alternate captain and led the IceDogs with 81 points in the regular season, adding 11 points in 10 playoff games. Heading into the 2018 NHL Draft, he was widely regarded as a first-round prospect, with the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranking him 15th among North American skaters. He was ultimately selected 51st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round. After being passed over in the first round, Thomas famously vowed to make every team that skipped him regret the decision.
OHL and Major Junior Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Thomas returned to the IceDogs for the 2018–19 OHL season as an alternate captain and quickly made an impact, earning OHL Player of the Week honors after a five-point performance in an 8–6 win over the Mississauga Steelheads. He continued his strong play with another five-point night on October 12 in a 7–2 win over the Barrie Colts. On March 16, 2019, the Los Angeles Kings signed Thomas to a three-year, entry-level contract. The very next game, Thomas recorded his 100th point of the season, becoming part of the first pair of OHL teammates to reach 100 points in the same game since 2007–08.
In 2019–20, Thomas was named captain of the Niagara IceDogs and tied the franchise record for assists in a single game with a five-assist night in an 8–4 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. He was also selected for the 2019 CIBC Canada/Russia Series. Shortly after representing Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championships, he was traded to the Peterborough Petes in exchange for Cameron Butler and four draft picks. Upon arriving in Peterborough, Thomas personally contacted the family of the late Steve Montador to ask permission to wear jersey number 44 in his honor.
Ontario Reign Era (2021–2025)
Thomas began his professional career with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate. On January 11, 2021, he was reassigned to the Reign, where he was placed on a line with Quinton Byfield and Devante Smith-Pelly, forming the first all-Black line in professional hockey since the 1940s. In his first game on that line, Thomas scored a natural hat trick while the trio combined for six points in a win. He finished the shortened 2020–21 season with 26 points in 40 games before undergoing two shoulder surgeries.
Thomas returned to the Reign in December 2021 and gradually worked his way back into form. He opened the 2022–23 season with four goals and two assists in his first eight games before undergoing another shoulder surgery that ended his year. On July 8, 2023, the Kings signed him to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $775,000. He set new career highs in goals, assists, and points during the 2023–24 season, and was named AHL Player of the Week after tallying four goals and two assists over three games.
Springfield Thunderbirds Era (2025–Present)
On March 31, 2024, Thomas was called up to the NHL and made his league debut on April 1 against the Winnipeg Jets. On December 2, 2025, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov, joining the Blues organization and reporting to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. The trade marked a fresh chapter in his professional career and gave him a new opportunity to break into the NHL lineup on a full-time basis.
Driving Style and Strengths
Akil Thomas is recognized as a two-way centre with high hockey IQ, strong playmaking ability, and dependable defensive responsibility. His skating, vision, and poise with the puck allow him to control pace at both even strength and on the power play. Teammates and coaches have praised his leadership qualities, which were evident in his captaincy of the Niagara IceDogs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Thomas scored the gold medal-winning goal for Canada at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships against Russia. Following that performance, the Regional Municipality of Niagara declared January 9, 2020, as Akil Thomas Day. He also set Niagara IceDogs franchise records for points by a rookie and tied the team’s single-game assists record.
Akil Thomas Career Wins
Although Akil Thomas is not yet established as a major point producer in the NHL, he has built a solid list of team and individual wins throughout his junior and professional career. His biggest victories include international gold medals, OHL team achievements, and a memorable professional milestone as part of a historic line in the AHL.
International and Junior Highlights
Thomas won gold with Canada at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and again at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. With the Niagara IceDogs, he was part of multiple playoff series wins, including a first-round victory over the North Bay Battalion in 2019. He also contributed to a historic AHL moment when he scored a natural hat trick on the first all-Black line in professional hockey since the 1940s.
Other Performances
Thomas represented Canada at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships, the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. While he has not yet secured major professional team titles, his consistent development has positioned him as a future NHL contributor.
Akil Thomas Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Akil Thomas comes from a family with deep roots in hockey. His father, Kahlil Thomas, played for the St. John’s Maple Leafs and the Memphis RiverKings, scoring a Presidents’ Cup-winning goal in 2003. His uncle, Leo Thomas, played minor professional hockey and in May 2018 became the head coach of the Macon Mayhem of the Southern Professional Hockey League, becoming the first Black head coach of a professional ice hockey team in North America since John Paris Jr. in the 1990s. Thomas’s mother is of Barbadian heritage, which inspired him to launch a clothing brand that embraces his cultural roots.
Personal Life
Thomas holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States. He currently resides in Orlando, Florida. Outside of hockey, he co-owns a clothing company called Zale Apparel with his friend Ethan Low. He made a cameo appearance in the film Soul On Ice: Past, Present & Future, which documents the history of Black players in hockey, through his friendship with director Damon Kwame Mason.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a transitional year for Akil Thomas. After spending the previous campaign between the Ontario Reign and the Los Angeles Kings, Thomas was traded to the St. Louis Blues on December 2, 2025, in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov. The move gave him a fresh opportunity within a new organization and placed him on the roster of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate.
Thomas has continued to refine his two-way game and contribute offensively at the AHL level while competing for a potential NHL role with the Blues. His blend of speed, vision, and responsibility has kept him in the conversation as a depth centre option for St. Louis.
Looking ahead, Thomas’s primary goal for the remainder of 2025 is to solidify a full-time spot in the NHL. With his entry-level contract phase behind him and his shoulder issues now resolved, he is focused on producing consistent results and earning the trust of the Blues’ coaching staff.