News broke last week about the St. Louis Blues effectively taking Robert Thomas off the trade block. The chatter had ramped up at various points this offseason, especially with free agency promising to be underwhelming, at best.
The report by Andy Strickland, in which he pretty much guaranteed that Thomas would be with the Blues this fall, has shut down Thomas trade rumors, at least for now.
But why the sudden, seemingly definitive end to the Robert Thomas trade chatter? The answer is simple. The emergence of Dylan Larkin on the trade market has shifted the calculus for the entire league.
Teams looking to trade for someone like Thomas will now almost immediately turn their attention to Larkin. While Thomas and Larkin are different types of players, they are top-line centers. And that’s something that the league is craving.
For the time being, Thomas will take a back seat. Since the Blues have held onto their astronomical price tag on Thomas, it just wouldn’t make sense to have two pots on the stove at this point.
However, teams that miss out on Larkin will most assuredly circle back to Thomas. In fact, some clubs might figure that whatever the Red Wings get for Dylan Larkin might be something that compels the Blues to move Thomas.
That's not to say that the Blues will actually trade Thomas. It just goes to show that the chatter will once again ramp up. In fact, it may never go away until Thomas retires from the NHL.
Blues faced with unique opportunity to “go for it”
The Blues, despite the disappointing season in 2025-26, are in a unique position to go for it. While the Central Division doesn’t figure to get any easier, the club has a chance to make a major dent in the group.
There could be an avenue opening up sooner than expected. The Colorado Avalanche are one team that will be rolling things back. But the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are sort of teetering.
The Stars have key pieces to re-sign and virtually no cap space. The Wild have a huge issue looming with Quinn Hughes. They have gaps to fill and may struggle to round out the roster.
Meanwhile, the Utah Mammoth will need to prove they’re for real. Other clubs like the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, and Chicago Blackhawks will all need to improve to keep up with the Joneses of the Central Division.
That situation could give the Blues an inroad. The Blues could weaponize their draft picks to bring in a big-ticket player, like Larkin, to compete with the top clubs in the Central.
That purpose may be easier said than done. But there’s an opportunity. When considering the young core in place in St. Louis, the Blues could take advantage of the current market conditions to set themselves up for success down the line.
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