If there is one thing we know about Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson, it’s that he is constantly hunting for “really good young players.” With Connor Bedard establishing himself as a generational talent, the clock has officially started on building a true contender in the Windy City. Enter the St. Louis Blues and their elite, playmaking center, Robert Thomas.
Can you imagine Thomas sliding into the lineup right behind Bedard? Thomas would instantly become the Blackhawks’ second-best forward, giving Chicago one of the most lethal 1-2 center punches in the Western Conference.
The St. Louis Blues flirted with a full-fledged rebuild at the NHL trade deadline, engaging in deep negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres and the Utah Mammoth regarding Thomas. Nothing crossed the finish line then, but the trade sweepstakes will undoubtedly resume this summer. The Chicago Blackhawks are uniquely positioned to win a bidding war. Armed with an overflowing war chest of top-tier prospects and draft picks, Chicago can outbid almost anyone in the NHL trade market. But is Davidson willing to pay the premium price tag for a division rival’s cornerstone player? Let’s break down why this blockbuster makes too much sense to ignore.
Why Robert Thomas Fits the Chicago Blackhawks’ Rebuild Perfectly
When you evaluate the current NHL trade market, top-tier centers rarely become available. High-end forwards are hoarded, but a changing of the guard in the St. Louis Blues front office has made everyone expendable. Thomas, who turns 27 this summer, fits the exact competitive window the Chicago Blackhawks are aiming for.
From my perspective as an NHL analyst, you don’t pass up an opportunity to acquire a player with Thomas’s pedigree. While he has endured a bit of a down season recently, you cannot ignore his back-to-back campaigns where he racked up 60 assists and over 80 points. He is an elite facilitator. The Blackhawks desperately need players who can drive play and possess the puck. Furthermore, Thomas brings cost certainty. He has five years remaining on his current contract with a highly reasonable $8.125 million salary-cap hit. For a team with Chicago’s immense cap space, absorbing that contract is a walk in the park.
Robert Thomas Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 517 | 123 | 318 | 441 | 58 |
| Playoffs | 52 | 6 | 20 | 26 | -9 |
Analyzing the St. Louis Blues’ Asking Price for Robert Thomas
The reality of trading within the Central Division is that the St. Louis Blues will inevitably charge a “rivalry tax.” St. Louis isn’t going to hand over their premier playmaker for a first-round pick. If the Blackhawks want to outmuscle the Sabres and the Mammoth, they will have to pony up premium assets.
We are likely talking about a package that includes a first-round pick, a high-end prospect (think Frank Nazar or Oliver Moore), and perhaps a roster player to balance the scales. It’s a steep asking price, but holding onto prospects forever doesn’t win Stanley Cups. At some point, Davidson has to push his chips to the center of the table. Surrounding Bedard with a proven, 80-point, Stanley Cup-winning center like Thomas accelerates the Blackhawks’ rebuild by at least two years. It’s a bold move, but it’s exactly the kind of aggressive offseason maneuvering Chicago needs.
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The post Chicago Blackhawks Trade Rumors: Will They Acquire Robert Thomas? appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
