Ask a Prospect -- Christian Thomas

Christian Thomas

Christian Thomas, the Rangers' second-round pick last Saturday at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, is at the Madison Square Garden Training Center until Friday, taking part in the team's annual Development Camp. Thomas, who scored 41 goals for the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals last season, finished third in the goal-scoring race involving NHL draft prospects, trailing only No. 2 overall pick Tyler Seguin and No. 7 overall pick Jeff Skinner.As the son of longtime NHL player Steve Thomas, he is also no stranger to the NHL lifestyle.

On Monday afternoon, we invited fans to submit questions for Thomas and other prospects here on newyorkrangers.com. Thomas was gracious enough to respond to a few that we passed along to him. Here are the questions and his answers:

Timothy J. Sheehan asks:

What can you bring to the Rangers and do you think you have what it takes to be a Ranger?

Thomas' response:

I would bring my scoring and my speed. Anything to try to help the team win. As far as what it would take for me to be a Ranger, I would have to get stronger for sure. Everyone is so much stronger in the NHL, and I plan to just work on every part of my game.

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Paul Freeman from Old Bridge, N.J., asks:

Did you move around the country as your father played for different teams, or did you live in Ontario with your Mom while your Dad played in the NHL?

Thomas' response:

I lived in Long Island, Toronto, New Jersey, Anaheim for a month, and Chicago. So I pretty much went to every single place except Detroit. We've had the same house (in Ontario) for eight or 10 years now, but I have been to so many schools -- six or seven. I was young for most of it, but I liked moving schools. I got to meet new people and it didn't really bother me. I guess for some people, it might, but in my situation it was fine.

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David from Hopewell Junction, N.Y., asks:

Everyone is aware of your father's outstanding career in the NHL. How influential was your mother on your hockey life. Is there any specific moment or lesson that stands out?

Thomas' response:

My mother is a pharmacist. She taught me discipline. She's really smart, so she stresses school a lot and how important it is. That's not to say my dad doesn't stress it, too, but I would say my smarts and discipline were influenced by her. She brought me to almost every practice and game unless my uncle took me. My dad was always busy, so it was my mom's responsibility. I went to almost every one of my dad's home games in the cities I lived in. I was young, so I spent most of the time in the wives' room, playing mini-sticks. My father played up until just before I turned 12.

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David Cain from West Babylon, N.Y., asks:

What current NHL player would you compare yourself to, and are you similar in any way to your father?

Thomas' response:

Maybe someone like Mike Cammalleri. He's a smaller guy who shoots the puck well. He competes. But according to my dad's sense, we're a little bit of the same player, but he was different. He was hard-nosed and hard in the corners, whereas I think I am more of a skill player than my dad. I'm a different kind of player, but it would be nice to have a career like him.