Robert Thomas and the St. Louis Blues have not had the sort of season they envisioned entering the season. St. Louis made the playoffs last year, pushing the Winnipeg Jets to seven games in their opening round matchup. Fast forward to Monday night, and the Blues are fighting just to stay clear of the last-place Jets in the Central Division.
Thomas has had himself a solid enough season. He currently leads the Blues with 33 points through 42 games. This is a drop from the production he has shown. But his track record points to him potentially rebounding down the line. He is also only 26 years old, so the Blues have a foundational piece with incredible playmaking ability.
This being said, his future in St. Louis may actually be in doubt. On January 8, The Athletic released its third trade board of the season. To some surprise, Thomas was included as the 11th best available player on the trade market.
“Nothing is off the table in St. Louis, including a potential deal involving the team’s top-line center. How likely that is depends on how you interpret the fact that his name has started to circulate again in chatter with rival teams,” The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote of Thomas.
On one hand, it's hard to envision the Blues parting with their first-line anchor during the season. At the same time, we have seen Mikko Rantanen and Quinn Hughes traded midseason in consecutive campaigns. Nothing truly is off the table, and with this in mind, here are two potential landing spots to keep in mind for Robert Thomas ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
Red Wings, Blues have extended trade history
The Detroit Red Wings are on a heater as of late, having won each of their last four games. They are also tied on points with the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Eastern Conference following play on Monday. It seems very likely the Winged Wheel will be returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, this Red Wings roster is far from complete. Andrew Copp scored the game-winner on Monday, and he has played very well as of late. But Detroit could use more offensive production from its second line. They could use more scoring depth in general, as only two players have eclipsed 15 goals on the season.
Thomas certainly is more of a playmaker. But he has flashed the ability to score in the 20-25 goal range. Playing alongside the likes of Patrick Kane, Dylan Larkin, and Alex DeBrincat could help spark his offensive production.
The Red Wings and Blues are no strangers to trading with each other, either. They have struck multiple deals over the years, with the Nick Leddy/Jake Walman swap a few years ago being quite notable. St. Louis also claimed Jonatan Berggren off waivers from Detroit this season, as well.
These organizations clearly have an understanding of each other's players. Steve Yzerman and Doug Armstrong seem to enjoy working with each other, as well. It feels as if this could be a perfect storm brewing if Thomas hits the trade market.
Hurricanes could be ideal Robert Thomas landing spot
The Hurricanes came up short against the Red Wings on Monday. But they could exact long-term revenge by winning the Robert Thomas sweepstakes. Carolina is atop the Eastern Conference, and looking to separate itself from teams like Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Montreal. Adding Thomas could certainly help in that regard.
The Hurricanes do have 22-year-old Logan Stankoven operating as their second-line center. He has shown some promise, though the offensive production hasn't quite been there. Overall, their center depth could use a bit of work. A trade for Thomas would increase the production on the second line, and potentially allow for Stankoven to find some success on the wing before moving back to center down the line.
Carolina is certainly not afraid to go after a big fish. They were the first team to trade for Mikko Rantanen last season. They swung a deal for Jake Guentzel a year before that, as well. One could also include the signing of Nikolaj Ehlers and the sign-and-trade for K'Andre Miller from last summer in this, as well.
The Hurricanes have come oh-so-close to winning a Stanley Cup in recent seasons. However, they've come short of getting over that hump. Adding Thomas could be a big step toward the right direction in this regard. He could help them both in the long and short term, considering his age and contract status. Carolina is well-positioned to strike if Thomas hits the trade market in the coming weeks.
