The Blues passed on moving Robert Thomas when he was one of the NHL’s top trade candidates leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, but that didn’t exactly erase the chatter around him. Thomas stayed in St.
Louis, and the noise has eased this offseason. Still, with a star center who has already drawn interest, it would not be a surprise if the phone starts ringing again during this season.
That possibility grows even bigger if the Blues stumble.
Three teams, in particular, stand out as clubs that could come back around on Thomas: the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and Boston Bruins.
Montreal has been looking for another top-six center for a while and still hasn’t solved that problem this summer. That leaves the Canadiens positioned to keep hunting once the season starts.
If they did make a push for Thomas, he would give their top six an immediate lift, and Montreal’s collection of promising young players could give St. Louis a trade package worth considering.
The Kings also make a lot of sense as a team that could get involved. With Anze Kopitar retiring, Los Angeles needs a new first-line center, and Erik Haula is not the kind of player you bank on to fill that role.
The Kings have also made it clear through recent moves that they want to stay competitive. Thomas would fit that goal, and he would also be the perfect center for Artemi Panarin, making Los Angeles a team to watch if it decides to take a swing.
Boston belongs on the list for a different reason: the Bruins have been chasing a true first-line center since Patrice Bergeron retired after the 2022-23 season. They tried to patch the hole by signing Elias Lindholm, but that hasn’t worked out.
That alone makes them a logical club to check in on Thomas. Their prospect pool does not match Montreal’s, so they may not offer the strongest package, but that likely won’t stop Boston from trying to land a player who would finally give them a legitimate 1C.
In Other News...
Nathan Walker Suddenly Has Real Pressure In Blues Camp
The Blues bottom-six picture is starting to come into focus for 2026-27, and it leaves Nathan Walker with a familiar but meaningful camp battle on his hands. Jack Finley is expected to handle the fourth-line center role, while the mix on the wing will be sorted out among a few hard-working, physical options as the coaching staff pieces together the last spots.
Walker has given St. Louis plenty to like in that role before, appearing in 46 games last season and bringing energy, goals and a heavy dose of contact with 179 hits. But with training camp still ahead, the competition for those final jobs is real, and Walker will have to earn his way into the lineup again rather than assume the sort of steady ice time he has chased in past seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Prospect Is At The Center Of A Frightening Situation
Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich remains in a coma after collapsing during a strenuous outdoor workout in Tempe, a frightening development that has drawn concern from across the hockey world, including the St. Louis Blues organization. Emergency services treated Mayich at the scene before he was taken to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition, and the situation has cast a heavy shadow over a player whose ties to the Blues make the news especially difficult to process.
The university is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the workout, which took place in extreme heat, as questions continue to build around what happened before Mayich went down. For the Blues, the priority now is simple support for Mayich and his family while the broader details are sorted out, but the uncertainty around his condition leaves the story with far more worry than clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Have Some Unexpected Center Prospects Rising Behind Their NHL Core
The Blues are already deep enough down the middle to feel reasonably secure about their NHL core, but the organization is also watching a younger wave of center prospects start to push into the conversation. Tynan Lawrence, Maddox Dagenais, Matvei Korotky and Zach Dean are among the names drawing attention, with each offering a different blend of size, skill and upside as the club looks ahead to the next few seasons.
What makes the group intriguing is how quickly the internal picture could change if even a couple of those players keep developing on schedule. Some are coming off strong recent stretches, others are still more projection than production, but the common thread is clear: St. Louis has more center talent rising behind the established NHL group than it did not long ago, and the organization will have to decide just how soon those prospects deserve a real chance to force the issue. [Read more 🡒]