The Boston Bruins are currently one of the several teams fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With this, general manager Don Sweeney has made it clear that he is open to adding to the club's roster, as they were one of the top teams in the mix for star defenseman Rasmus Andersson before the Calgary Flames traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights. While missing out on Andersson was a tough blow for the Bruins, it also made sense since the right-shot defenseman was not open to signing a contract extension with the Black and Gold. Now, the Bruins will need to consider their options elsewhere. While adding a top-four right-shot defenseman would certainly be great for the Bruins, it is also fair to argue that they could use another star forward in their top six. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas would be a great player for the Bruins to add to their roster. With the Blues struggling big time this season, Thomas is one of several St. Louis players who have been discussed as trade candidates leading up to the deadline. With this, it would be understandable if the Bruins had him on their radar. Thomas would give the Bruins a new first-line center immediately, which is one of Boston's top needs. He would also be a great fit on a retooling team like the Bruins, as he is only 26 years old and is signed until the end of the 2030-31 season. With this, he would be a long-term part of the Bruins' core as they look to become true contenders again. Thomas is having a bit of a down year by his standards, but he has still been the Blues' best player by a significant margin and has not had a ton of offensive support around him. In 42 games this season with the Blues, he has recorded 11 goals and 33 points. This is after he had 81 points in 70 games last season and a career-high 86 points in 80 games during the 2023-24 season. Yet, with Thomas being a legitimate star, having multiple years on his contract, and being right in his prime, the Bruins would need to offer up a significant trade package to try to land him. However, with Thomas having the potential to give the Bruins another game-changing forward, he could be worth the big price. If the Bruins landed Thomas, he could be a perfect playmaking center to play with superstar David Pastrnak on the first line. In 508 career games with the Blues, Thomas has recorded 118 goals, 311 assists, 429 points, and a plus-43 rating. He has also had three seasons where he has recorded over a point per game.
