The Boston Bruins are in a familiar spot as the NHL trade deadline looms: competitive enough to chase a playoff berth, but with one eye on the future. That’s the tension Bruins fans are feeling right now.
Do you push in and make a run, or start reshaping the roster for long-term success? One name that’s suddenly entered the mix could tilt that conversation-Robert Thomas.
The 26-year-old center from the St. Louis Blues has reportedly become a potential trade chip, and it’s easy to see why Boston would be interested.
Thomas is a legitimate top-line center, signed through the next five seasons at a manageable $8.125 million cap hit. That kind of cost certainty, especially for a player with his two-way impact and offensive upside, is rare.
He’s the type of player you can build around-and in Boston’s case, the type of player you can pair with David Pastrnak for the foreseeable future.
Now, Thomas does have a no-trade clause, but the idea of leaving a struggling Blues team for a shot at playoff hockey in Boston? That’s the kind of move players often welcome, especially when it means centering one of the league’s premier scorers.
With Thomas' name floating in the rumor mill, fans and analysts alike have started cooking up trade scenarios. One of the more intriguing proposals making the rounds involves a three-team deal that would see the Bruins, Blues, and Seattle Kraken all involved.
The idea? Use Seattle as a conduit to move assets around and get everyone what they need.
Here’s the proposed framework:
To Boston:
- Robert Thomas
- 2027 4th-round pick (from STL)
To St. Louis:
- Mason Lohrei
- Shane Wright
- 2026 1st-round pick (from BOS)
To Seattle:
- Matthew Poitras
- Jimmy Snuggerud
- 2026 2nd-round pick (from SEA)
Let’s break this down.
From Seattle’s perspective, this deal holds some water. The Kraken haven’t been shy about reshaping their young core, and while Shane Wright still has top-six center potential, it’s clear the organization isn’t fully committed to him long-term.
In return, they’d be getting Matthew Poitras, a 21-year-old center with a similar ceiling, and Jimmy Snuggerud, a winger with legit top-six upside. Snuggerud’s rookie season hasn’t been perfect, but seven points in his last 10 games suggest he’s starting to find his rhythm.
For Boston, this is a bold swing-but one that could pay off in a big way. Thomas instantly becomes the best center on the roster and gives the Bruins a long-term solution down the middle.
Pairing him with Pastrnak adds some serious firepower to the top line, and with the Bruins already trending toward the playoffs, this move could push them into contender territory. Giving up a first-round pick doesn’t sting as much when you’re expecting it to land in the bottom third of the draft.
The Bruins have also been linked to trade talks involving Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei before-most notably during the rumored Rasmus Andersson discussions. So the idea of moving those pieces isn’t out of left field.
Lohrei, in particular, is a player the Blues might value. He’s a promising young defenseman and was a favorite of Jim Montgomery when he coached in Boston.
Add in Shane Wright, who still carries significant upside, and St. Louis gets two high-ceiling players plus a first-rounder.
But here’s the rub: Is that enough for the Blues to part with both Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud?
That’s the sticking point. Thomas isn’t just a productive center-he’s a foundational piece.
Trading him would signal a major shift in direction for St. Louis.
If they’re going to move on from him, they’ll want a return that feels like a sure thing. Lohrei and Wright are talented, but they’re still developing.
There’s risk involved, and St. Louis would need to be confident that one (or both) can blossom into impact players.
There’s also the matter of James Hagens. Some around the league believe that if a Thomas-to-Boston deal is going to happen, the Bruins may have to part with Hagens, their top prospect and a player many see as a future star.
That’s a steep price, but it underscores just how valuable Thomas is-and how high the bar might be to pry him out of St. Louis.
Bottom line: the idea of bringing Robert Thomas to Boston is an enticing one. He fits the Bruins’ needs perfectly and would give them a legitimate 1-2 punch with Pastrnak for years to come.
The proposed three-team deal is creative and checks a lot of boxes on paper. But whether it’s enough to satisfy the Blues?
That’s the big question. If Boston wants to land a player of Thomas’ caliber, it might take one more big piece to get it done.