Per Eklund (E4) - Thomas & LA

[DawgDad]

I have never agreed with ASOGG before, but I agree with him here. On a Stanley Cup contender, even one on periphery, he's a 2C. On a team like the Blues, he's a 1C...which is why they're not sniffing the playoffs. Bobbie Tommy is to the Blues what Sonny Gray was to the Cardinals. Here, Gray was the #1. On a good team, he's a 2 or a 3.

Even if that's true you still need a guy like him on your team for depth and he's still young at 26. He's been one of the best point producers on the team most of his time here. Unless the return is astronomical it's a no brainer to hold onto him. I'm sure you know that.

Here's the mess that we are now in...

Getting an elite 1C requires 2 things.
1) A TOP 5 pick in a year where there is an elite Center.
2) A scouting staff that knows what a 1C looks like when the player is still a teenager

Many speculate that there is no true #1 in the 2026 draft. So it's possible that the best that they could do is get another "Thomas" level Center.

The Blues shunned TOP5 picks for 20 years. Because of this, no one has any idea if Army is equipped to succeed at #2, not even Army.

So here are our options...
1) Select an iffy C in 2026 draft.
2) Limp along with Thomas, and hope that the problem disappears like Kyrou in the playoffs.
3) Bring in an OLD Center, not named Kevin Hayes
4) See if Dvorsky can be a 1C
5) Trade one iffy 1C (Thomas) for a slightly younger iffy 1C (Shane Wright)

Did you completely MISS 2019?

[a smell of green grass]

I have never agreed with ASOGG before, but I agree with him here. On a Stanley Cup contender, even one on periphery, he's a 2C. On a team like the Blues, he's a 1C...which is why they're not sniffing the playoffs. Bobbie Tommy is to the Blues what Sonny Gray was to the Cardinals. Here, Gray was the #1. On a good team, he's a 2 or a 3.

Even if that's true you still need a guy like him on your team for depth and he's still young at 26. He's been one of the best point producers on the team most of his time here. Unless the return is astronomical it's a no brainer to hold onto him. I'm sure you know that.

Here's the mess that we are now in...

Getting an elite 1C requires 2 things.
1) A TOP 5 pick in a year where there is an elite Center.
2) A scouting staff that knows what a 1C looks like when the player is still a teenager

Many speculate that there is no true #1 in the 2026 draft. So it's possible that the best that they could do is get another "Thomas" level Center.

The Blues shunned TOP5 picks for 20 years. Because of this, no one has any idea if Army is equipped to succeed at #2, not even Army.

So here are our options...
1) Select an iffy C in 2026 draft.
2) Limp along with Thomas, and hope that the problem disappears like Kyrou in the playoffs.
3) Bring in an OLD Center, not named Kevin Hayes
4) See if Dvorsky can be a 1C
5) Trade one iffy 1C (Thomas) for a slightly younger iffy 1C (Shane Wright)

Did you completely MISS 2019?

I thought that the team was going with a youth movement. If instead they swap Thomas with somebody like ROR, the Blues would be going with option 3 above.

[Red7]

I have never agreed with ASOGG before, but I agree with him here. On a Stanley Cup contender, even one on periphery, he's a 2C. On a team like the Blues, he's a 1C...which is why they're not sniffing the playoffs. Bobbie Tommy is to the Blues what Sonny Gray was to the Cardinals. Here, Gray was the #1. On a good team, he's a 2 or a 3.

Even if that's true you still need a guy like him on your team for depth and he's still young at 26. He's been one of the best point producers on the team most of his time here. Unless the return is astronomical it's a no brainer to hold onto him. I'm sure you know that.

My agreement was with Thomas not being a 1C, not necessary with the need to trade him.

[succinct712]

I have never agreed with ASOGG before, but I agree with him here. On a Stanley Cup contender, even one on periphery, he's a 2C. On a team like the Blues, he's a 1C...which is why they're not sniffing the playoffs. Bobbie Tommy is to the Blues what Sonny Gray was to the Cardinals. Here, Gray was the #1. On a good team, he's a 2 or a 3.

Even if that's true you still need a guy like him on your team for depth and he's still young at 26. He's been one of the best point producers on the team most of his time here. Unless the return is astronomical it's a no brainer to hold onto him. I'm sure you know that.

My agreement was with Thomas not being a 1C, not necessary with the need to trade him.

Understood, that's why I added the last sentence.

[BluesDom]

He is absolutely a #1 center.
ranked 14th--
https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/nhl ... or-2025-26

It flew under the radar, but it’s not tough to argue that Robert Thomas had the best season of his career in 2024-25, producing at a 25-goal, 94-point pace with a great showing in the Blues’ first playoff appearance in three seasons. His hockey sense is uncanny, and he scans the ice constantly, identifying the best passing target before the puck is on his stick and then dealing either the “obvious” pass through several sticks and limbs or delivering improbable no-look tape-to-tape feeds. The way he supports the play all over the ice and distributes the puck both through subtle short feeds and home-run plays has made him a serious play-driver, with defensive results finally starting to match the skill-set. His lack of foot speed and physicality might be holding him back from a spot on Team Canada at the moment, but I wouldn’t rule him out, especially if he starts the season hot.




23-24 full season assists:

5th in NHL amongst centers in helpers: McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, JT Miller
19th in goals among centers. tied with Kopitar in 23/24.
AND THEN THOMAS.86 points.

last yr 81 points in only 70 games!!

[ratonmono2]

He is absolutely a #1 center.
ranked 14th--
https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/nhl ... or-2025-26

It flew under the radar, but it’s not tough to argue that Robert Thomas had the best season of his career in 2024-25, producing at a 25-goal, 94-point pace with a great showing in the Blues’ first playoff appearance in three seasons. His hockey sense is uncanny, and he scans the ice constantly, identifying the best passing target before the puck is on his stick and then dealing either the “obvious” pass through several sticks and limbs or delivering improbable no-look tape-to-tape feeds. The way he supports the play all over the ice and distributes the puck both through subtle short feeds and home-run plays has made him a serious play-driver, with defensive results finally starting to match the skill-set. His lack of foot speed and physicality might be holding him back from a spot on Team Canada at the moment, but I wouldn’t rule him out, especially if he starts the season hot.




23-24 full season assists:

5th in NHL amongst centers in helpers: McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, JT Miller
19th in goals among centers. tied with Kopitar in 23/24.
AND THEN THOMAS.86 points.

last yr 81 points in only 70 games!!

Yeah coming into this season Thomas was in contention with Suzuki for a spot on Canada. Terrible to see how the season played out for Thomas, but everyone around the league knows the dude is a #1. I am old enough to remember Wings fans saying you could not win with Yzerman after 94 -96. Fans are emotional sorts.

[BluesDom]

Id love someone to name 30 centers greater than him. How is he not a #1?
There arent 30 McDavids/MacKinnons or Draisaitls's.

19th rank
https://www.nhlratings.net/lists/centers

[Army's Mom]

Id love someone to name 30 centers greater than him. How is he not a #1?
There arent 30 McDavids/MacKinnons or Draisaitls's.

19th rank
https://www.nhlratings.net/lists/centers

Every team has a "top center" who is just better than the rest of the centers on their roster, by definition of "top". That doesn't mean every team has a guy who makes their linemates better or is an offensive catalyst for their team the way many of us think of a Number 1. I'd argue Thomas is on that cusp - there are maybe 10 of them in the whole league. If he had a better winger to play off of, he'd probably be one already. JMO.

[BluesDom]

Id love someone to name 30 centers greater than him. How is he not a #1?
There arent 30 McDavids/MacKinnons or Draisaitls's.

19th rank
https://www.nhlratings.net/lists/centers

Every team has a "top center" who is just better than the rest of the centers on their roster, by definition of "top". That doesn't mean every team has a guy who makes their linemates better or is an offensive catalyst for their team the way many of us think of a Number 1. I'd argue Thomas is on that cusp - there are maybe 10 of them in the whole league. If he had a better winger to play off of, he'd probably be one already. JMO.

Im all for shaking up this roster.
The more I think about trading Thomas--it makes no sense.
Hes arguably ranked 15th-20th in centers.
This is not clear to me---10 teams in league supposedly have a #1 Center and 22 teams have a #2 Center in top role?
Hes not on the cusp 89 points ish is awesome.
Doesnt really make any sense.
Thomas is the best we have. No sense in trading him. Hes a #1 Center based on all metrics available.

[crookedfeeder]

Id love someone to name 30 centers greater than him. How is he not a #1?
There arent 30 McDavids/MacKinnons or Draisaitls's.

19th rank
https://www.nhlratings.net/lists/centers

Every team has a "top center" who is just better than the rest of the centers on their roster, by definition of "top". That doesn't mean every team has a guy who makes their linemates better or is an offensive catalyst for their team the way many of us think of a Number 1. I'd argue Thomas is on that cusp - there are maybe 10 of them in the whole league. If he had a better winger to play off of, he'd probably be one already. JMO.

Im all for shaking up this roster.
The more I think about trading Thomas--it makes no sense.
Hes arguably ranked 15th-20th in centers.
This is not clear to me---10 teams in league supposedly have a #1 Center and 22 teams have a #2 Center in top role?
Hes not on the cusp 89 points ish is awesome.
Doesnt really make any sense.
Thomas is the best we have. No sense in trading him. Hes a #1 Center based on all metrics available.

I just think it comes down to Armstrong having to move out money (for some reason); and he tried with the Kyrou and Buchnevich route first with no joy; then Faulk and Schenn; then Binnington, then Thomas and Parayko. Somebody, somewhere, in the heat of the night...... JMO

[Old_Goat]

Thomas is a 2C based on what I hear Army saying...

How long and uncomfortable would it be for Army to demote Thomas from 1C to 2C on the Blues roster? Answer: It would be a long experience, fraught with angst and hurt feelings and de-motivation.

When Thomas is traded, and Thomas slots into 2C on the new team, it will happen overnight. Easy. Least disruptive to Thomas.

This is why Thomas needs to be traded.

You make a very good point. But if somehow the team could land a truly much better #1 Centerman, then I believe Thomas would be satisfied to be on the next line assuming that the team is consequently winning much more and being realistically in the mix for Championship.

True. However, what are the chances that a much better and experienced #1 Center will be coming our way in a Thomas trade?

I mean if we somehow got/have that other better Center via different transaction not involving Thomas and he was also still here. I do not believe it would be disruptive for him. I believe he will welcome Team success and he could still realize a lot of personal success, recognition and appreciation in the process, be it this team or a new team.
To answer your question; No he will not land us that via trade, unless a lot of other pieces are included.

[AtillaTheBlue1]

Unless some one grossly over pays, Thomas will likely be moved in off season, where GM can get more value.


If Blues dont make a run, this core is going to be moved, like they did with the oshie/berg/etc core. It didnt work, and they moved on.


This has been mentioned by the former post writer and other hockey pundits. Army is giving them 1 more shot, they fail, he will move on

[a smell of green grass]

Unless some one grossly over pays, Thomas will likely be moved in off season, where GM can get more value.


If Blues dont make a run, this core is going to be moved, like they did with the oshie/berg/etc core. It didnt work, and they moved on.


This has been mentioned by the former post writer and other hockey pundits. Army is giving them 1 more shot, they fail, he will move on

I heard that Army was "giving them one more shot" in Feb 2025. Did you hear Army say that recently, regarding how they play for the remainder of this year? Can you provide a link to his comments?