The St. Louis Blues and Robert Thomas trade rumors will not be going away any time soon. If anything, the chatter will only pick up as time goes on. If the Blues don’t move Thomas at this year’s NHL trade deadline, the talk will go into hyperdrive around the 2026 NHL Draft.
That said, one notable insider believes the Blues could find a solid fit for Thomas in the Metro Division. Specifically, the Carolina Hurricanes could be a party interested in landing the top-line forward, as James Mirtle of The Athletic noted.
The rationale here is simple. The Hurricanes have been consistently targeting just about every big name that’s hit the market. They missed out on Artemi Panarin most recently. They were also believed to be looking to take a swing at Quinn Hughes, even if it was a brief one.
The Hurricanes were also in on Mitch Marner last season, then went through the entire Mikko Rantanen debacle twice.
As such, the Hurricanes could be looking to find another top-line piece. That’s why Thomas would be an appealing piece. Plus, Mirtle’s logic focuses on the fact that the Hurricanes have the cap space and the picks to make it happen.
The Hurricanes have all of their first-round picks through 2028, plus an additional first-rounder acquired in the Rantanen deal. That situation means the Canes could pony up to first-rounders plus other pieces to make the deal work.
Plus, Carolina has the cap space to make the trade happen. That’s a fantastic prospect, as the Blues are not going to retain any money on Thomas with five years left on his current deal.
Blues could get an interesting player in return
The return for Thomas, of course, wouldn’t be just two first-round picks. The Blues will likely be looking to get other pieces in addition to the picks. One player the Canes are believed to want to move is Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Now, let’s be real for a minute. Kotkaniemi is not a replacement for Thomas. If anything, the Finnish forward could be a reclamation project at this point. But he is a former third-overall pick and was once considered a high-end prospect.
The Hurricanes believed so much in him that they pried him away from the Montreal Canadiens with an offer sheet.
That said, Kotkaniemi could be a decent middle-six forward for the Blues. The possibility of having him get a fresh start, away from the pressure of living up to his big contract, could do well.
The Blues will also likely insist on one other piece. Potentially, that piece could be a mid to high-level prospect. With such a return, the Blues might well consider a potential offer from the Hurricanes.
It remains to be seen if that’s the sort of thing the Blues would be willing to do.