What is going on internally with Thomas?

[Ziggy3]

Thomas may very well be playing banged up most of this year, but his real glaring issue right now is his linemates.

That's both a criticism of the team AND himself. To me, his play doesn't actually look that off from what we're used to, maybe a few giveaways here and there where he'd normally keep possession. Didn't he just lead the league in points over the last 20 games of the season last year or something like that? No, he didn't forget how to play over the offseason, but this entire team stumbled out of the gate and everyone other than Faulk of all people is in a massive offensive funk.

And Thomas is not the kind of player that puts the team on his back. He's my favorite player on the team, but it's my big criticism of him. He puts up true 1C numbers when his linemates are performing like they should, but if they struggle, he struggles. I think it's as simple as that.

[LGB73]

This team has too many guys in the top 6 that have some skill but lack drive/compete/tenacity whatever the hell you want to call it. Buch, Kyrou, Thomas don't demonstrate it. It's still open on Dvorsky and Snuggerud given their age and being rookies, but I'm a little concerned that it might not be there.

I'm not talking about laying hits on guys either. I'm talking about hounding the puck relentlessly. Getting into board battles and winning them. Crashing the net fearlessly. Our best players are simply easy to play against and until that changes this team is going to struggle. Even the best players in the league demonstrate the willingness to do these things tirelessly. It's why their the best! They marry amazing skill with high levels of compete everywhere on the ice. If they just relied on skill they'd be good, but not great.

[Harry S Deals]

This team has too many guys in the top 6 that have some skill but lack drive/compete/tenacity whatever the hell you want to call it. Buch, Kyrou, Thomas don't demonstrate it. It's still open on Dvorsky and Snuggerud given their age and being rookies, but I'm a little concerned that it might not be there.

I'm not talking about laying hits on guys either. I'm talking about hounding the puck relentlessly. Getting into board battles and winning them. Crashing the net fearlessly. Our best players are simply easy to play against and until that changes this team is going to struggle. Even the best players in the league demonstrate the willingness to do these things tirelessly. It's why their the best! They marry amazing skill with high levels of compete everywhere on the ice. If they just relied on skill they'd be good, but not great.

The bright spot is the Blues best guys are under 24 years old. They are just not quit ready for primetime

[DawgDad]

This team has too many guys in the top 6 that have some skill but lack drive/compete/tenacity whatever the hell you want to call it. Buch, Kyrou, Thomas don't demonstrate it. It's still open on Dvorsky and Snuggerud given their age and being rookies, but I'm a little concerned that it might not be there.

I'm not talking about laying hits on guys either. I'm talking about hounding the puck relentlessly. Getting into board battles and winning them. Crashing the net fearlessly. Our best players are simply easy to play against and until that changes this team is going to struggle. Even the best players in the league demonstrate the willingness to do these things tirelessly. It's why their the best! They marry amazing skill with high levels of compete everywhere on the ice. If they just relied on skill they'd be good, but not great.

The bright spot is the Blues best guys are under 24 years old. They are just not quit ready for primetime

In the forward ranks, excepting Thomas I agree. Kyrou right now is an enigma. Buch and Schenn are visibly declining.