Tim Thomas will get the nod for Florida Tuesday night against Philadelphia. He will be looking to rebound from a rough outing against St. Louis on Saturday when he allowed five goals on 28 shots before getting the hook.

Tim Thomas was blasted for five goals in the Panthers' 7-0 loss to the Blues on Saturday night. Thomas was pulled after the second period after making 23 saves. It's an eye-opening reminder that things aren't always going to go so swimmingly for the 39-year-old in his return because he hasn't played a lot of games lately and is backstopping a poor team. It's also a notice that it's not easy to take a year off from a sport's highest level and expect no speed bumps along the way, despite a great first game back. Jacob Markstrom wasn't much better in relief, stopping four of six shots against.

Tim Thomas blocked 25 of 27 shots Thursday night as he earned a victory in his first game as a member of the Panthers. The former Vezina Trophy winner proved in this game that he still has some gas left in the tank, but his supporting cast hasn't improved significantly overnight so his ability to earn wins remains limited.

Tim Thomas will get the nod for Florida in Thursday's regular-season opener at Dallas. "My first and last goalie announcement of the year," coach Kevin Dineen said Wednesday. "I usually don't go down that line, but Timmy is going to get opening night." Thomas is looking forward to the opportunity and he'll try to get the Panthers off to a good start.

Tim Thomas might be the Florida Panthers' opening game starter. "Tim has really established himself with our team and our organization within a short period of time," Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said. "[Thomas] is a good guy and a real solid player for us right now. He's a great option for us on Thursday night." Jacob Markstrom was originally expected to be the team's top goalie this season, but Thomas has a great shot of securing that job now that he's signed with Florida.

Tim Thomas made his first appearance in a Panthers uniform Thursday night during the team's 3-2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay. The veteran net minder played about half of the game and allowed just one goal before giving way to Jacob Markstrom. The Panthers received a pair of goals from Jonathan Huberdeau in the losing effort. Tampa Bay was propelled by goals from Nikita Kucherov, Richard Panik and Tyler Johnson while Ben Bishop played the entire game and stopped 26 of 28 shots for the win.

Florida GM Dale Tallon has announced that the team has signed a one-year deal with goaltender Tim Thomas. "Tim is a proven winner who we are pleased to have signed," said Tallon. "He is a fierce competitor who brings to our club a wealth of experience including a Stanley Cup Championship, two Vezina trophies and a Conn Smythe. He is a hardworking, driven and dedicated individual who will help our club achieve future success." Thomas was attending Florida's training camp on a professional tryout after he took the 2013 season off. He will probably enter the year as the Panthers' number one goalie and if he isn't rusty then he could be a decent depth option.

The Florida Panthers are slated to announce the signing of Tim Thomas on Friday during their press conference to introduce new owner Vincent Viola. Thomas is expected to make his preseason debut in Saturday's final tune-up game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. TSN's Bob McKenzie reported via his Twitter page that it's going to be one-year deal worth between $3 to $4 million including many performance bonuses. Thomas should be penciled as Florida's starter on opening night.

Tim Thomas will reportedly sign with the Florida Panthers once their ownership situation is finalized. Thomas might make his preseason debut against Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

Coach Kevin Dineen hasn't determined yet if Tim Thomas will play in Thursday's exhibition game. "He had a great week of practice," Dineen said. "He was really strong out there today. I was really happy with the way things have gone for Tim. But I still think I'm on that day-to-day evaluation."