Tim Thomas could make his Florida debut this coming Thursday against the Lightning. All eyes will be on Thomas who skipped last season and is attempting a comeback at the age of 39.

Tim Thomas isn't likely to see any game action with the Florida Panthers until next week. "I won't be judging Tim Thomas on one look at an exhibition game," coach Kevin Dineen said. "That certainly won't be a make or break situation. Because of that I'm not going to be in any rush to get him in." Thomas hasn't experienced any ill effects following his first two days of practice.

Tim Thomas feels reinvigorated after skipping the 2013 campaign. Thomas decided to return for 2013-14, but didn't sign a contract over the summer. He's agreed to attend the Florida Panthers' training camp on a tryout basis. "I feel almost reborn in a way," Thomas said. "After 14 years of pro hockey I needed a break. Now I'm energized and looking forward to it. I feel great." Thomas is a big risk at this time due to his age, the fact that he hasn't played since April 25, 2012, and his lack of a guaranteed contract. Even still, it wasn't long ago that he was considered one of the best netminders in the league and it wouldn't be shocking if he was successful this season.

Tim Thomas will join the Florida Panthers at practice on Tuesday after the team announced that he has agreed to a professional tryout offer. He's also expected to travel with the team to Texas, where they will play the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, but he isn't projected to play until later in the preseason. "We need goaltending, somebody to help us get to where we want to go," GM Dale Tallon said. "Right now it's Tim Thomas. He'll get an opportunity. He's in good shape and eager to go. He's worked extremely hard all year, and mentally and physically he's ready to go and compete for a starting position here."

According to a source, Tim Thomas will agree to sign a professional tryout with the Florida Panthers. The deal may be reached as soon as today. If this is accurate then he will touch down in South Florida shortly to take a physical and undergo some medical testing before an agreement is reached. He will be a solid addition to the team if he can prove that his year away from the game didn't slow him down, but Florida's goaltending situation will still have plenty of question marks enter this season.

Florida hasn't confirmed reports that they've invited goaltender Tim Thomas to training camp on a tryout basis. TSN's Bob McKenzie was among those reporting that the Panthers had extended a PTO to Thomas on Tuesday. The former Boston goalie still wants to be starter, so that could complicate his chances of attending an NHL training camp. He may have to settle for a professional tryout somewhere to prove that he hasn't lost a step following his one-year break from the game. Florida begins camp on Thursday and right now it's unclear if Thomas will be there.

The Florida Panthers have presented Tim Thomas with a professional tryout offer. Playing in Florida would probably be among the best case scenarios for Thomas. Although he's not likely to win a ton of games with the Panthers, he at least would get a shot at the starting job. After taking a year off, picking up Thomas in fantasy leagues would be a huge risk, but one that could potentially pay off nicely under the right circumstances and if he can shake off the rust.

Tim Thomas is still talking to several teams, but he's not expected to sign Tuesday. Thomas isn't looking to serve as a backup goaltender, which severely limits his options. Given that Thomas took a year off hockey and is 39 years old, any team offering him the number one gig would be taking a huge risk. Maybe Calgary for example would be willing to let him compete for the spot in training camp, but there aren't many other teams that are likely to give him that opportunity.

Tim Thomas reportedly hasn't made much progress in the free agent market. It remains to be seen if Thomas will find an employer or if his NHL career is essentially over. Thomas is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, but he chose to skip the 2012-13 campaign, which makes him a significant risk, especially at the age of 39. If he's determined to return, he might need to attend a team's training camp on a tryout basis just to prove that rust won't be a significant factor.

There are still NHL teams interested in Tim Thomas for the 2013-14 season, but "other dominoes must fall" before anyone signs him, a league source tells ESPN Boston's Jimmy Murphy. It looked like Thomas and the Flyers were a match before Philly decided to go with the duo of Ray Emery and Steve Mason in net. There are still teams that could use upgrades in net, like the Avs, Flames and Oilers, but it's unclear if any of those clubs are interested in Thomas. This might end up stretching into the preseason.