Blues top-line center confirms reports as name swirled around trade rumors leading into deadline last Friday; believes St. Louis isn't far off from being a contender again
ST. LOUIS – For all the talk that Robert Thomas was on the trade market last week, the St. Louis Blues top-line center made a couple points clear on Tuesday.
He never was asked to waive his full no-trade clause and he never asked to be traded.
Two one-word answers (no) sufficed to say was all that was needed when asked.
Hearing names rumored to be on the move during the trade deadline is nothing new for these players, but the 26-year-old admitted that for the first time in his career, this one was different.
Why? Because his name was being floated around.
“It’s been a really tough week on the family,” Thomas said Tuesday prior to the Blues facing the New York Islanders. “You never know what’s going to happen. It was tough, especially with ‘Faulker’ and ‘Schenner’, who were huge parts of this team, been around for a long time. Brayden’s been someone that’s mentored me since I was a kid coming into the league. It’s been a really tough week.”
Thomas, who leads the Blues with 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists) in just 46 games after missing a total of 17 games due to injury, understands that business is business, and that the Blues (25-29-9) are not in a position that many felt like they would, and could have been in.
“It’s part of the business,” Thomas said. “We understand the situation that we’re in. Obviously it’s been very publicly known that ‘Army’s had a meeting with us beforehand and let us know what was going to happen. 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.”
And what will be ‘go from there’ as far as Thomas is concerned?
Well, for someone that has five years remaining on a contract that averages a very reasonable $8.125 million per season cap hit-wise, the commitment is to do what’s already been done: win another Stanley Cup.
But there will need to be reassurances from management, from the transition of Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen as the general manager, that the commitment is the same.
“Obviously there’s lots of conversations that have to go on after the season,” Thomas said. “I think we can talk more in the off-season about that.
“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. That message has never changed from me to them.”
But the Blues have made clear that they’re changing their course with a younger team, and trading away their captain (Brayden Schenn) to the Islanders and assistant captain (Justin Faulk) to the Detroit Red Wings.
“I think we all saw in the blink of an eye it can all change,” Blues forward Dylan Holloway said. “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. We’re just going to try and keep it going.
“I feel like it’s hard on a lot of guys. We had a lot of guys’ names out up in the air and we didn’t know what was going to happen. Obviously very disappointing losing ‘Schenner’ and ‘Faulker’, but I think it kind of brings the guys together a little bit. Just playing for each other and excited to see each other at the rink.”
The Blues entered the game on a season-high four-game winning streak, so now that the trade deadline and all the chatter is out of the way, Thomas said there’s a primary focus.
“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. I don’t think motivation’s ever been an issue.”
Finishing strong is essential, as much as some fans don’t want the Blues to fall out of a high status in gaining a top draft pick, because Thomas believes this group isn’t as far away as some thin
“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,” Thomas said. “That’s the frustrating part and that’s why we’re all disappointed.”
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