University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Thomas E. Draper 1987 - Hockey
One of the top goaltenders in UVM history and the second former Catamount to play in the NHL, Tom Draper, a 1997 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, graduated holding many of the school's career records.
Draper was a rock in net for the Catamounts for four seasons in the mid-1980s. He set school records in minutes played (5,979), games played (102) and saves (2,806). He was also fourth all-time in career goals-against average (3.62) and save percentage (.888).
Draper was a First-Team ECAC All-Star as a junior in 1986 and received honorable mention honors the following season as a senior. He was the team's Most Valuable Player in 1985 - sharing the award with winger Mike O'Connor - and in 1986. That year, Draper was also named the Vermont State Athlete of the Year by the Vermont Sports Writers and Sportscasters Association.
After leaving UVM, Draper enjoyed a lengthy professional career. Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1985 (their eighth pick, 165th overall), he played one year in Finland, leading his team to the Finish championship. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning Canadian team in the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland.
The following season, Draper joined Moncton of the American Hockey League and was named a second-team All-Star. He also made his NHL debut in 1989, losing his first game to Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins before getting a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs two nights later.
Draper started the 1989-90 season with Winnipeg, playing six games before being returned to the minors. In 1991, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues organization, and won the IHL's Turner Cup with the Peoria Rivermen.
Following two off-season trades, Draper ended up with the Buffalo Sabres with whom he played for two years. In his first season, he went undefeated in his first six decisions to tie a team record. He ended up playing in 26 regular-season games, compiling a 10-9-5 record with one shutout. His goals-against average and save percentage were the team's best that season. Draper was also the starting goalie for the Sabres in the playoffs losing a tough series to the Boston Bruins in seven games. In game five of that series he recorded a 2-0 shutout.
In 1992-93, Draper played 11 games with Buffalo, competing for playing time with Daren Puppa, Dominik Hasek and Grant Fuhr, three of the game's best goalies. In 1993-94, he saw action in seven games with the New York Islanders, backing up Ron Hextall.
Draper posted his best numbers as a pro playing in the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League especially for the Long Beach (Calif.) Ice Dogs of the IHL in 1996-97 and back with Rochester in the AHL in 1999-2000. At Long Beach he finished the 1996-97 season with a 28-7-3 record, including a 12-game winning streak, a 2.30 GAA (third best in the league), a .909 save percentage and two shutouts. He also registered the win for the Western Conference in the IHL All-Star game. In the post-season he led the Long Beach to an 11-1 record in the first three rounds of the playoffs, before losing the finals in six games to the Detroit Vipers. In the IHL playoffs, he was tops in the league in wins (13) and shutouts (2) and second in GAA (2.24) and in save percentage (.923).
After spending the bulk of the 1997-98 campaign with Quebec in the IHL, he joined former Catamounts Martin St. Louis '97 and Eric Perrin '97 on the Cleveland Lumberjacks in the IHL for the stretch drive and he helped lead the team to the second round of the playoffs. Draper played in 1998-99 for Rochester in the AHL recording a solid 2.30 GAA along with a 14-9-3 record. After spending 1999 to 2003 in Finland, he wrapped up his pro career with Toledo and Augusta in the ECHL and Adirondack in the UHL before hanging up the pads in 2004.
