The St. Louis Blues are not going to have a quiet Trade Deadline this time around, after last season's completely silent day with no trades. Almost everyone over the age of 25 is up for grabs, and General Manager Doug Armstrong is fielding all the calls with interest.
The player who is seemingly getting the most amount of calls is Robert Thomas, as multiple potential suitors have been rumored. First, the Minnesota Wild, and then the Los Angeles Kings, followed shortly by the Detroit Red Wings. All of those teams are also in the Blues conference of the Western Conference, and are going to be buyers at the Trade Deadline as they try to push themselves into a deep Stanley Cup playoff run.
Having a lot of teams interested is a good thing, but it could lead to catastrophe. Let's talk about why that could be the case here.
A lot of offers, but not the right return
The growing rumor is that Armstrong is not going to let Thomas go without a huge return. Some sources have indicated three first-round picks in exchange for the 28-year-old first-line centerman, whilst others have suggested a pair of first-rounders and an NHL-caliber player is enough.
Each of those teams listed above can make their best offer, and it might not be enough to satisy Armstrong into selling away his best player. Of course, Thomas would also have to agree on a move, as he has a No-Trade Clause on his current contract, but reports are also indicating that this marriage between him and the Blues is starting to crack.
If Armstrong turns down a suitable trade, even if it is the first offer on the table, it is highly unlikely that other teams will try to one-up it to get Thomas as their own. That is where things get messy. The first denial might send the rest of the league a message that they cannot afford him, and the trade offers stop coming in for No. 18.
Thomas is a nice piece to have, especially if these teams are in need of a center that can be an immediate x-factor due to his playmaking abilities, but his value versus the high-price is not adding up. You cannot send out three first-round picks for a player who has never even sniffed a 90-point season in their career.
Although he can definately do it, Thomas has yet to reach that mark yet. And that should be the narrative in this case for how much of a return the Blues should get for him.