St. Louis Blues Center Robert Thomas impressed, but he needs more help
By David Crum
As many fans across the league root for their perspective teams in the playoffs, St. Louis Blues fans anxiously wait for breaking news on their head coaching vacancy and updates on the NHL draft and free agency.
A convincing argument can be made that center Robert Thomas should be directly involved in all pending decisions. Thomas, who turns 25 in July, continues to impress as a rising star and is clearly the future and face of the franchise.
In his short career, he has won a Stanley Cup and made his first All-Star appearance in 2024. Thomas has consistently improved over the past three years, concluding with a respectable 86 points this season.
Thomas had a strong year with 26 goals and 60 assists, ranking 16th in the NHL in total assists.
Perhaps most encouraging is that Thomas is just a couple of years into his long-term 8-year deal, originally signed in 2022.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong faces a lot of pressure if he is going to earn back the fans’ trust after making several questionable decisions over the last few years. Finding talent to aid Thomas is a starting point. It is no coincidence that the media ran to Thomas at the conclusion of the season to garner his opinion on the performance of interim coach Drew Bannister.
It’s fair to anticipate a bright future for Thomas and expect to see him continue to grow as a leading center in the league.
However, the Blues still lack scoring power. Jordan Kyrou led the team with 31 goals, followed by Pavel Buchnevich with 27 goals.
If the Blues will contend for the playoffs next season, they must continue to bring in talent to support Thomas.
Thomas's impressive resume could attract big names to St. Louis during free agency.