Akil Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Akil Thomas
Thomas with the Los Angeles Kings in 2018
Born	(2000-01-02) January 2, 2000 (age 25) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Los Angeles Kings
NHL Draft	51st overall, 2018 Los Angeles Kings
Playing career	2021–present

Akil Thomas, born on January 2, 2000, is a professional ice hockey player. He plays as a centre for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Kings chose him in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 51st player picked overall.

Akil started his major junior hockey journey with the Niagara IceDogs in 2016. There, he set a new record for points by a rookie. He even became the team's captain. In 2020, after playing for his country, he moved to the Peterborough Petes.

Akil has proudly played for Team Canada. He represented his country in several big tournaments. These include the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships and the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Akil Thomas's Hockey Journey

Starting Out in Hockey

As a young player, Akil Thomas played for the Toronto Marlboros. This team is part of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). He was a top scorer, getting 72 points in 56 games.

After that, he played for the St. Michael's Buzzers in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). He was a star in the playoffs, leading his team with 13 points in just seven games.

Playing in Major Junior Hockey

The Niagara IceDogs picked Akil 12th overall in the 2016 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. He signed with them on June 4, 2016. Scouts thought he was a very promising player.

First Season with the IceDogs

In his first OHL season (2016–17), Akil scored 48 points in 61 games. He got his first OHL point on September 23, 2016. He scored his first OHL goal in the very next game. Akil was named Rookie of the Month for October. He also set a new team record for points by a rookie. The OHL named him to their 2017 All-Rookie team. He finished second in the OHL Rookie of the Year voting.

Becoming a Leader

Because of his great first year, Akil was named an alternate captain for the IceDogs. This was before the 2017–18 season. He led his team with 81 points that season. In the playoffs, he was third in team scoring with 11 points in 10 games.

Getting Drafted by the NHL

Before the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, many thought Akil would be a first-round pick. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him 15th among North American skaters. The Los Angeles Kings drafted him in the second round, 51st overall. Akil said he wanted to make every team that passed on him regret it.

Continued Success and NHL Contract

Akil was again an alternate captain for the IceDogs in the 2018–19 season. He was invited to the Los Angeles Kings' development camp. He started the OHL season strong, earning Player of the Week honors. He had five points in one game early on.

The Kings signed Akil to a three-year contract on March 16, 2019. At that time, he was ninth in points and tied for fourth in assists in the OHL. The day after signing, he reached 100 points for the season. He and teammate Ben Jones were the first teammates to reach 100 points since 2007–08.

Becoming Team Captain

Akil was named the IceDogs' captain for the 2019–20 season. He tied the team's record for most assists in a single game. He had five assists in an 8–4 win. He was also chosen for the CHL Canada/Russia Series.

After playing in the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, Akil was traded. He moved to the Peterborough Petes on January 9, 2020. He wore number 44 throughout his junior career. He even asked permission from the family of a former player, Steve Montador, to wear the number.

Professional Hockey Career

Starting in the AHL

On September 22, 2020, Akil was loaned to Eisbären Berlin in Germany. This was because the North American season was delayed. He later returned to North America for the Kings' training camp. On January 11, 2021, Akil joined the Ontario Reign. This team is the Kings' minor league affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

With the Reign, Akil played on a special line. He was with Quinton Byfield and Devante Smith-Pelly. This was the first all-black line in professional hockey since the 1940s. In their first game together, Akil scored a natural hat-trick. Their line combined for six points in the win.

Akil was briefly called up to the Kings' taxi squad. This allowed him to practice and travel with the main team. He had 13 points in 23 AHL games at that time. He finished the 2020–21 season with 26 points in 40 games. After the season, he had two shoulder surgeries. He returned to play for the Reign in December 2021.

Recent Seasons

Akil started the 2022–23 AHL season well. He had four goals and two assists in eight games. He added seven more points before needing shoulder surgery in November. On July 8, 2023, the Kings signed Akil to a new one-year contract.

In the 2023–24 season, Akil set new career highs in goals, assists, and points. He was named the AHL Player of the Week. He scored four goals and two assists in three games. Akil was called up to the NHL on March 31, 2024. He made his NHL debut on April 1, 2024, against the Winnipeg Jets. He has continued to play for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2024–25 season.

Playing for Canada

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2020 Czech Republic

Akil Thomas has dual citizenship with Canada and the United States. He chose to play for Canada internationally. In 2016, he played for Canada White at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He was an alternate captain and scored 3 points in 5 games.

He played for Team Canada's under-18 team in 2017. They played in the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships in Slovakia. Later that year, he helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He scored 6 points in that tournament.

Akil also played for Team Canada at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships. He had two points in four games. On December 21, 2019, Akil was named to Team Canada's roster for the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He scored the gold medal-winning goal against Russia in the final game. Because of this big achievement, January 9, 2020, was named "Akil Thomas Day" in the Niagara region.

About Akil's Life

Akil's mother is from Barbados. His father, Kahlil, is from Toronto and also played hockey. Kahlil played for the Toronto Maple Leafs' minor league team. Akil's father also scored a championship-winning goal for the Memphis RiverKings in 2003. Akil's uncle, Leo Thomas, also played minor hockey. In 2018, Leo became the first black head coach for a professional ice hockey team in North America since the 1990s.

Akil was born in Toronto. His family moved often because of his dad's hockey career. After his dad retired, they settled in Orlando, Florida. Akil considers Orlando his hometown. However, when Akil was 11, his family moved back to Toronto. This was so he could have better hockey opportunities. He attended St. Michael's College School and even took classes at Brock University.

When he played for the Toronto Marlboros, Akil appeared in a film. The movie was called Soul On Ice: Past, Present & Future. It talks about the history of black players in hockey. The director was a family friend. Akil also runs a clothing company called Zale Apparel with a friend. It celebrates his Barbadian heritage.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2016	Canada White	U17	4th		6	2	1	3	2
2017	Canada	U18	5th		5	0	0	0	2
2017	Canada	IH18			5	2	4	6	0
2018	Canada	U18	5th		4	1	1	2	0
2020	Canada	WJC			7	1	1	2	0
Junior totals					27	6	7	13	4

Awards and Honours