Wayne Thomas, who spent 45 years in professional hockey, first as an NHL goalie with three Original Six franchises, and then began a post-playing career that included over two decades with the San Jose Sharks as a coach and executive, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer, the team announced. Thomas was 77.

Following his retirement as a player in 1981, Thomas spent over a decade coaching, as an assistant in the NHL and as a head coach in the old IHL, before joining the Sharks in 1993 to work as an assistant to the general manager and assistant coach.

Over the next 21 years, Thomas would assume a larger, day-to-day role in working with the Sharks’ goaltenders, including Evgeni Nabokov, the organization’s all-time winningest goaltender. He later became the Sharks’ assistant general manager, where he was involved in all aspects of the team’s on- and off-ice operations.

Thomas retired from the Sharks as vice president and assistant GM in 2015.

Thomas, born in 1947 in Ottawa, Ontario, played in the NHL from 1972 to 1981, spending two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, two with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and four with the New York Rangers.

Thomas ended his NHL playing career in 1981, finishing with a 103-93-34 record, a 3.34 GAA, and 10 shutouts. Wayne also appeared in 82 Stanley Cup playoff games with Toronto and the Rangers.

He is survived by his wife, Barb (Baeder); daughters Gretchen Kane of New York, NY, and Abra Larson of Deephaven, MN; and brother Gary Thomas of Richmond, Ontario. A public celebration of Wayne’s life will be held in mid-August in Minneapolis.

— Curtis Pashelka

NFL

The 49ers have reportedly reached agreement with rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins of Texas, their second-round pick, on a four-year, $10.3 million contract that includes more than $9 million in guarantees, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Cal will face UCLA on Nov. 25 at Chase Center in San Francisco in the showcase game of the 2025 Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project.

Cal will also host Presbyterian on Nov. 18 and Sacramento State (Nov. 21) at Haas Pavilion as part of the event.

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

The Mountain West Conference, in the process of going through a major membership transition, will “pause” adding new schools, Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said.

The conference will add Grand Canyon in all sports except football beginning this year. Hawaii, which plays football in the MWC, will join as a full member in 2026, as will Texas-El Paso. Northern Illinois will play only football and UC Davis will be a non-football member.

Five schools will leave the Mountain West for the Pac-12 Conference next year — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State.

The University of Memphis’ athletic department has been put on probation for two years and fined $30,000 by the NCAA after an investigation found an academic counselor paid two softball players to help a men’s basketball player with schoolwork.

OLYMPICS

Olympic ski cross medalist Audun Groenvold, who won bronze at the 2010 Games, has died after being struck by lightning. He was 49.