Akil Thomas Bio
Akil Thomas is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who plays for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Toronto, Ontario, and raised between Orlando, Florida, and the Greater Toronto Area, Thomas was selected 51st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2018 NHL entry draft. Since beginning his professional career in 2021, he has built a reputation as a skilled playmaker, setting franchise records in junior hockey and representing Canada in multiple international tournaments.
Early Life and Background
Akil Thomas was born on January 2, 2000, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His mother is of Barbadian heritage, and his father, Kahlil Thomas, is originally from Toronto and played professional hockey. Kahlil suited up for the St. John’s Maple Leafs, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and later scored the championship-clinching goal for the Memphis RiverKings of the Central Hockey League during the 2002–03 Ray Miron President’s Cup. Akil’s uncle, Leo Thomas, also played minor professional hockey with organizations including the Mississippi RiverKings and Fort Wayne Komets.
Because of his father’s playing career, the Thomas family moved frequently during Akil’s childhood before settling in Orlando, Florida, which he has since listed as his hometown. When Akil was 11, the family returned to Toronto so he could pursue stronger hockey opportunities. He attended St. Michael’s College School, where he was advised to skip a grade, allowing him to take classes at Brock University. Thomas holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States, and he has chosen to represent Canada in international competition.
Path to Hockey
Thomas played his youth hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), where he led the team with 72 points in 56 games. He moved on to the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), leading the club in playoff points with 13 in seven games. He signed a standard player agreement with the Niagara IceDogs on June 4, 2016, after being selected 12th overall by the team in the 2016 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) priority draft.
Internationally, Thomas was an early standout. He represented Canada White at the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, serving as an alternate captain. He went on to skate for Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships, the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. These experiences established him as one of Canada’s top young prospects heading into his NHL draft year.
Akil Thomas Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
In his first OHL season with the Niagara IceDogs in 2016–17, Thomas recorded 48 points in 61 games, opening his OHL scoring account on September 23, 2016, in a 3–1 win over the North Bay Battalion. He set a new IceDogs franchise record for points by a rookie, was named an OHL Rookie of the Month in October, and earned a spot on the OHL All-Rookie Team on April 20, 2017. He finished second in voting for OHL Rookie of the Year.
Thomas was named an alternate captain for the IceDogs entering 2017–18 and led the team with 81 points in the regular season, adding 11 points in 10 playoff games. Rated as a potential first-round pick by NHL Central Scouting, which ranked him 15th among North American skaters, Thomas was ultimately selected 51st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2018 NHL entry draft. After being passed over in the first round, he publicly pledged to make every team that bypassed him regret the decision.
Niagara IceDogs and Peterborough Petes (2018–2020)
Thomas returned to the IceDogs for 2018–19 and was named OHL Player of the Week during opening week after recording five points in an 8–6 win over the Mississauga Steelheads. On March 16, 2019, the Los Angeles Kings signed him to a three-year entry-level contract, and the next day he recorded his 100th point of the season alongside teammate Ben Jones, making them the first IceDogs duo to reach 100 points in the same campaign since 2007–08. He added four points in five playoff games as Niagara eliminated the North Bay Battalion before falling to the Oshawa Generals.
In 2019–20, Thomas was named IceDogs captain and tied a franchise record for assists in a game, recording five helpers in an 8–4 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. He was selected to the 2019 CIBC Canada/Russia Series and scored in the opening game against Russia. After the 2020 World Junior Championship, he was traded to the Peterborough Petes on January 9, 2020, in exchange for Cameron Butler and four draft picks. He finished his major junior career wearing number 44, a number he received permission to use from the family of the late Steve Montador.
Professional Career with the Los Angeles Kings Organization (2020–2025)
Thomas began his professional career on loan with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga during the delayed 2020–21 North American season. He later attended the Kings’ training camp and was assigned to the Ontario Reign of the AHL on January 11, 2021. With the Reign, he skated on a line with Quinton Byfield and Devante Smith-Pelly, the first all-Black line in professional hockey since Herb Carnegie, Ossie Carnegie, and Manny McIntyre in the 1940s. Thomas recorded a natural hat trick in his first game on that line, finishing the shortened season with 26 points in 40 games before undergoing two shoulder surgeries.
Thomas returned to the Reign in December 2021 and opened 2022–23 with six points in eight games before undergoing another shoulder surgery in late November that ended his season. On July 8, 2023, the Kings signed him to a one-year two-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $775,000. In the first year of that deal, he set new career highs in goals, assists, and points and was named AHL Player of the Week after posting four goals and two assists in three games. He was called up to the NHL on March 31, 2024, and made his NHL debut on April 1, 2024, against the Winnipeg Jets.
St. Louis Blues Era (2025–Present)
On December 2, 2025, Thomas was traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov. He was assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate, where he continues to develop as a centre prospect. The move gave Thomas a fresh opportunity within a new organization looking to integrate young forward talent.
Driving Style and Strengths
Thomas is recognized throughout his career for his playmaking vision, two-way responsibility, and composure with the puck. Coaches have highlighted his ability to drive offense from the centre position, manage the game at both ends of the ice, and contribute on special teams. His poise in high-pressure moments has been a hallmark of his development, from junior hockey through the AHL and into his first NHL appearances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Thomas scored the gold medal-winning goal for Canada at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships against Russia, after which the Regional Municipality of Niagara declared January 9, 2020, as Akil Thomas Day. He also set IceDogs franchise records, recorded a natural hat trick in his first game on the historic all-Black line with the Ontario Reign, and made his NHL debut on April 1, 2024, against the Winnipeg Jets.
Akil Thomas Career Wins
Akil Thomas has accumulated meaningful success across junior, international, and professional hockey. His accomplishments include an OHL franchise record for rookie points, an OHL All-Rookie Team selection, and a gold medal at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he scored the championship-clinching goal. He has also added a Presidents’ Cup connection through his father’s championship-winning goal with the Memphis RiverKings.
Major Junior and International Highlights
Thomas captured a gold medal with Canada at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, recording six points in the event. At the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he was named to Team Canada’s roster and scored the gold medal-winning goal against Russia. He also set an IceDogs franchise record for points in a rookie season and led the team in scoring during 2017–18 with 81 points.
Other Wins and Performances
Thomas was recognized as the AHL Player of the Week during the 2023–24 season after recording four goals and two assists in three games with the Ontario Reign, leading to his NHL call-up. He also made a cameo appearance in the film Soul On Ice: Past, Present & Future, which documents the history of Black players in hockey.
Akil Thomas Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hockey runs deep in the Thomas family. Akil’s father, Kahlil Thomas, played professionally for the St. John’s Maple Leafs and scored the Ray Miron President’s Cup-winning goal for the Memphis RiverKings in 2002–03. His uncle, Leo Thomas, played minor professional hockey with the Mississippi RiverKings and Fort Wayne Komets and, in May 2018, was named head coach of the Macon Mayhem, becoming the first Black head coach of a professional ice hockey team in North America since John Paris Jr. in the 1990s.
Personal Life
Thomas’s mother is of Barbadian heritage, and he often returns to those roots through Zale Apparel, a clothing company he co-founded with his friend Ethan Low that celebrates his Barbadian background. He grew up split between Toronto and Orlando, Florida, and now resides in Orlando. Off the ice, Thomas has supported causes tied to representation in hockey, including his appearance in the documentary Soul On Ice: Past, Present & Future.
2025 Season Performance
Thomas opened 2025 as a member of the Los Angeles Kings organization before being dealt to the St. Louis Blues on December 2, 2025, in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov. The trade marked a new chapter in his career and offered a clearer path to NHL ice time with his new club.
Assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, Thomas has continued to develop as a two-way centre, working to translate his AHL production into a consistent NHL role. His progression within the Blues system, combined with his playmaking skill set, positions him as a prospect to watch as the season unfolds.
Looking ahead, Thomas’s focus is on earning a full-time NHL spot with the St. Louis Blues and contributing to the organization’s long-term competitive outlook. With a foundation of junior records, international medals, and steady AHL growth, he enters the remainder of 2025 with momentum and a clear opportunity in a new system.