The St. Louis Blues named their 25th captain in franchise history, and it is Robert Thomas. He now leads the charge with four alternates under him to make up a pretty solid leadership group for the rest of the team to follow.
In just a few short weeks, the 2026-27 season will get underway with training camp and the preseason. It is going to go by extremely fast, and then the 84-game regular season will get started on October 2 in Dallas.
In Thomas' first go-around as captain, what are some of the things that have to happen to call it a successful season? Let's talk about it.
Blues stick up for one another
The Blues are going to be tough, physical, and gritty up and down the lineup. Every single line on this team has a certified bruiser who is willing to stand up for their linemates. Under Thomas' leadership, that has to play a significant role in this team's identity.
Not to say that under Brayden Schenn this team did not stick up for one another, but this is a different squad than last season. A bunch of new faces are joining the 23-man roster on the forward and defensive sides. Not to mention that influx of younger talent coming up from the AHL.
100-point season
Individually, the Blues are going to need Thomas to be the best player on this team. With Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway at his side, there are no more excuses to be had on why he can't get over the 100-point hump.
Thomas is going to have his hands full this season, with captain's duties and also centering their top scoring line, but it should all work out just fine. He is entering his prime, and general manager Alexander Steen would not have made this decision that quickly after signing on as the new head man if he didn't think No. 18 could handle it.
Playoffs
Even with the new additions and enhanced leadership group, the Blues are still not projected as a lock for the 2026-27 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are still deemed a mid-grade team that is either going to get a lucky burst at the end of the season again to sneak in or be one of the last teams out.
Thomas has to make his ultimate goal for the 2026-27 season to will this team to a playoff berth. When Alex Pietrangelo and Ryan O'Reilly were named captains, they were able to bring the Blues to the playoffs in their first seasons. Schenn, unfortunately, did not.
Now it is on No. 18 to get that trend back on track.
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