NHL trade rumors intensified Friday afternoon with reports that Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas has waived his no-trade clause, opening the door for Boston to deal the two-time Vezina Trophy winner as part of a package during the 2012 NHL Draft this weekend in Pittsburgh.

The 38-year-old Thomas was a candidate to be traded this off-season anyway, as his no-movement clause expires July 1, and even if Thomas sits out the season, as he's indicated he will, his $5 million cap hit (which is only accompanied by a $3 million salary) makes him an attractive pickup for a team that generally stays near the salary cap floor.

Thomas posted a 35-19-1 record for the Bruins with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage, but attracted criticism as his play declined in the second half of the season and he became a polarizing figure in the wake of his decision to skip the Bruins' visit to the White House in January and a series of provocative posts on his Facebook page. The most notable such post since the end of the season announced that Thomas planned to take off the season to focus on faith, family and friends.

Despite Thomas' decision to waive his no-movement clause, it's premature to interpret the move as a change to his position on playing in 2012-13. Given that Thomas was a candidate to be traded after his no-movement clause expired, waiving it now is a courtesy to a Bruins organization that gave him the chance to become a star. If the right deal comes up this weekend, whether it's for Rick Nash, Keith Yandle or some other player not yet considered, the Bruins may now be in better position to make a move.

Will the Bruins find themselves in such a position? It's worth watching as the 2012 NHL Draft nears.