ST. LOUIS - In the midst of swirling trade rumors, Robert Thomas, the Blues' top-line center, set the record straight. Despite the chatter, Thomas confirmed he was neither asked to waive his no-trade clause nor did he request a trade.
For Thomas, this trade deadline was unlike any other in his career. The buzz around his potential move was a new experience, adding a layer of stress, especially with teammates like Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk being significant parts of his journey in St. Louis.
“It’s been a really tough week on the family,” Thomas shared before the Blues took on the Islanders. “You never know what’s going to happen.
It was tough, especially with ‘Faulker’ and ‘Schenner’, who were huge parts of this team. Brayden’s been someone that’s mentored me since I was a kid coming into the league.”
Thomas, leading the Blues with 40 points in 46 games despite missing 17 games due to injury, acknowledges the business side of hockey. The Blues' current standing (25-29-9) isn't where they hoped to be, but Thomas remains committed to the team's future.
“We understand the situation that we’re in,” Thomas said. “We had a good understanding of what was going to go on. It’s part of it and you move forward, you do your best to finish the end of the season strong and then you go from there.”
With five years left on his contract, Thomas is focused on bringing another Stanley Cup to St. Louis. However, he seeks assurance from the management transition from Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen that the commitment to winning remains strong.
“Obviously there’s lots of conversations that have to go on after the season,” Thomas noted. “Ever since I signed my contract, I’ve made it known that I want to win again here, I want to be a leader here.”
The Blues are clearly shifting towards a younger roster, trading away key veterans like Schenn and Faulk. This change has galvanized the team, as forward Dylan Holloway explained, “We’re just definitely trying to buy in and play for each other. It’s fun to win, it’s fun to play the way we are right now.”
Riding a four-game winning streak, the Blues are focused on finishing the season strong. Thomas emphasized that the motivation to win has never wavered, despite the challenges.
“The motivation never changes, especially in this room,” Thomas said. “We’ve always been really committed and motivated to win. Obviously that hasn’t happened this year and it’s been really frustrating.”
Thomas believes the team’s current standing doesn’t reflect their true potential. “To be honest, where we’re at in the standings, I don’t think reflects the talent or how good of a team we are,” he said. “That’s the frustrating part and that’s why we’re all disappointed.”
As the Blues push forward, the focus remains on unity and determination, aiming to prove they’re closer to contention than many might think.