The St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild had a "wild" trade in place for Robert Thomas. The return for the Blues was supposed to be promising forward Danila Yurov and star goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.
But, it was ultimately blocked and never done.
This has two meanings, but one kind of outweighs the other. Either Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong thought Thomas was worth more than that, or that he is more comfortable leaving Alexander Steen with Joel Hofer as his future starting goaltender.
Believing in Hofer
It is clear that this trade could have been blocked because Armstrong believed he had seen enough from Hofer in 2025-26 to have him be the next franchise goaltender. It is hard to see that future without Jordan Binnington in the starting role, but the time has likely come for the passing of the torch.
Binnington had a really down year, and although Hofer did as well at some points, he finished with a very respectable staline. No. 30 finished the 2025-26 campaign with a record of 24-13-5 with six shutouts to his credit, which is the second-most in all of the NHL this past season.
That return for Thomas was a juicy one, with how well Wallstedt was in net for the Wild this season. But, now, the Blues can retain Thomas as a key piece of their retool, and watch as Hofer continues to emerge as a true starting goaltender.
Not to mention, if things continue to slide for Binnington, which we all hope does not, there is still Love Harenstam in the wings as well. He is currently with Team Sweden at the World Championships, awaiting his turn against some of the world's best hockey players.
This blocked trade not only puts a better team on the ice, but puts some good vibes into the heart of Hofer. When the brass has your back and believes that you are a better option than a playoff-contending goaltender, that should give you some confidence.
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