Robert Thomas went down with an injury in 2024-25, yet he still ended up with 60 assists and 81 points. Now that the Blues look more like a high-octane hockey team heading into the 2025-26 season, the stratosphere could be the floor for one of the league's better and underrated playmakers.
And, dare I say it? Set a new record in assists? Some records look like nobody will even come close to them, but Thomas could make a serious run at setting the new gold standard as early as 2025-26.
Right now, Adam Oates is leading the charge with 90 of them, a record he set in 1990-91. Thomas has recorded 60 in back-to-back seasons, and who knows how many he would've ended up with if he was healthy for all 82 games?
With all things being equal, Thomas would've ended the year with between 69 and 70 helpers if he played in all 82 contests, which would've put him sixth in franchise history. But here's the catch: The Blues now know they can win, and that they can put up between three and four goals a game on anyone.
For a player like Thomas, this is a godsend, since he played for a team that didn't fare well offensively in 2023-24, and they didn't find their rhythm last season until late in the year. So, if the Blues skate out and pick up where they left off last season, Thomas will be a centerpiece.
Robert Thomas has a legitimate chance to bust through Adam Oates' assists record
Sure, the task looks insurmountable, since snagging 90 helpers means averaging over one per game. But Thomas has a few ways he can make this happen.
For one, he's got a high hockey IQ, and he seems to know where to put the puck before anyone in either uniform knows where it's about to go. He can pass the puck into traffic, yet put just enough on it for where it finds a linemate's stick.
For another, he's good at winning offensive zone face-offs, and that can lead to some secondary helpers if the Blues score quickly in a sequence. But, for this to happen, he can't miss any extended time, since 90 assists would be almost impossible to pass in just 70 contests.
Still, he's shown enough playmaking ability over the past two campaigns in what were his age-24 and age-25 seasons. Thomas is in his prime, no doubt, but he's also barely scratched the surface of it, and at the absolute least, he's proven enough to break into the top 10 for assists.
To get there, he'll need 66-plus helpers, something that is more than realistic heading into 2025-26. We'll see how quickly Thomas can get onto that list, and if it gives him that legit chance to make a run at Oates' record.
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