There was no goaltender as good as Boston's Tim Thomas in the National Hockey League last season, and he's surely among the best this season. However, his name is being mentioned everywhere today for all of the wrong reasons.

As you know, the Bruins were invited to the White House on Monday to celebrate the team's Stanley Cup victory. Thomas, an American, wasn't there because, as he noted on his Facebook page later in the day: "I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties and Property of the People . because I believe this, I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party."

Oh, really?

As you'd expect, his "explanation" attracted many hundreds of messages from fans and politicians, ranging from "cheap and classless" to "Thomas for President."

The Boston Herald's Dave Wedge and Stephen Harris went no farther than to point out that, by his absence, "Thomas ignited a political firestorm - and drew a barrage of verbal slapshots from furious Demoncrats."

Their report attracted 385 comments by noon hour Tuesday.

On the other hand, Boston Globe sports columnist Kevin Paul Dupont, who's one of the best in the business, drew 638 by letting it all hang out.

Dupont wrote: "Shabby. Immature. Unprofessional. Self-centred. Bush league. Need I go on? All that and more applies to what Thomas did on a day when Cup teammates Mark Recchi (now retired), Shane Hnidy (a radio guy these days in Winnipeg), and Tomas Kaberle (a member of some Original Six team in Canada), all gladly joined the red-whiteblue-black-and-gold hugfest at the White House.

"Thomas needed to be there in solidarity, and celebration, with his team," Dupont added. "It was the same government yesterday, and will be today, that protected his country, his security, his family, and his right to make $5 million a year. In his absence, he stole his teammates' spotlight.

"Win as a team. Lose as a team. And when asked to stand up and take a bow, then stand up there and suffer if need be, even if you don't like the setting, the host, or any of the political trappings and tenets that come with it.

"If Thomas is feeling the way he is today, it could not have happened overnight. He must have felt much the same just shy of 24 months ago when he sounded so proud to wear that Team USA sweater at the 2010 Olympics, and so proudly dipped his head to accept that silver medal."

He went on: "Someone so disgusted with our government ought to turn in the sweater and the medal. It must be a horrible burden, if not a pox, to have them in his house."

Good for Dupont.

At least publicly, Bruins management chose to take the middle road over Thomas's absence. For example, general manager Peter Chiarelli said he had discussions with Thomas "over the past couple months" - apparently in an unsuccessful effort to convince the goaltender not to skip the ceremony.

"We're like a family," Chiarelli told reporters. "We have our issues. You deal with them and move on, try and support everyone. This may or may not (overshadow the day), because the guys certainly enjoyed the day."

Chiarelli added he could have given Thomas an ultimatum to attend - and could suspend him for refusing - but opted not to take any action.

When he has a moment, perhaps Chiarelli can explain it to rookie Tyler Seguin, who found himself sitting in the press box despite leading the team in points at the time after sleeping in and missing a game-day meeting. It was the only game he's missed this season.

Seguin was still the Bruins' No. 1 point-getter awaiting Tuesday's game in Washington, with a teamhigh 18 goals and 24 assists along with an NHL-high plus-34.

rfisher@montrealgazette.com