NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports a decent chance that St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas will be moved before the March 6, 2026, trade deadline. The 26-year-old, in the third year of an eight-year, $8.125 million contract, has drawn interest from several teams amid the Blues' selling stance. Friedman highlighted the Utah Mammoth as a key team to watch due to a scouting connection.
The St. Louis Blues are poised to be active sellers as the NHL trade deadline approaches on March 6, 2026. Captain Brayden Schenn and veteran defenseman Justin Faulk are expected to be moved, but recent reports suggest center Robert Thomas could join them on the trade block.
During Sportsnet's 'Saturday Headlines' on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman included Thomas among four prominent centers potentially available, alongside Calgary Flames' Nazem Kadri, New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck, and Nashville Predators' Ryan O'Reilly. Friedman stated, "I think it actually could potentially happen (before Friday’s deadline), and I have to say, I’m a bit surprised about that. I think it’s heated up around him a bit."
Thomas, a 26-year-old from Aurora, Ontario, is in the third year of an eight-year contract with an $8.125 million cap hit. He may be open to waiving his no-trade clause for the right destination. Interest has persisted, but the Blues have set a high asking price, deterring some offers.
Teams linked to Thomas include the Utah Mammoth, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Minnesota Wild. The Mammoth, holding the first wild card spot in the Western Conference, stand out. They boast a strong defense but rank middle-of-the-pack offensively, and Thomas would bolster their forward group featuring Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, J.J. Peterka, and Nick Schmaltz.
Utah's general manager, Bill Armstrong, adds a personal tie: he was the Blues' director of amateur scouting when Thomas was drafted 20th overall in 2017. The Mammoth possess a deep prospect pool, including Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin, Caleb Desnoyers, Daniil But, Maveric Lamoureux, and Dmitri Simashev, plus multiple draft picks, enabling them to meet the Blues' demands.
Thomas has been activated from injured reserve and is set to play against the Minnesota Wild on March 1, 2026, with two more games before the deadline. These outings may represent his final appearances in a Blues uniform.
