He played junior hockey with the Newmarket Redmen and the West Toronto Nationals. He played with the latter team when they lost the 1929-30 Memorial Cup Final. Thoms spent six and a half seasons (1932-33 to 1938-39) with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thoms shared the NHL goal-scoring lead with Charlie Conacher in 1935–36. He was also named to the second all-star team that season. In 1938-39 Thoms was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Doc Romnes annd stayed with the team until the middle of the 1944-45 season. He was then sold to the Boston Bruins and retired after the 1944-45 season.