The St. Louis Blues will be without their biggest trade chip until after the Olympic break, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. During his Saturday Headlines segment, Friedman announced that Robert Thomas will be sidelined after undergoing a procedure on his leg.
Friedman noted that it was a minor procedure, but one that will keep Thomas out of the lineup until after the Olympic break. That said, he is expected to return in time for the Blues’ first game back. They take on the Seattle Kraken on Feb. 26.
Thomas Out After Procedure on Leg
In some ways, this long mid-season break is a blessing in disguise for NHL teams. In this case, it gives Thomas the chance to address the issue now and return healthy once play resumes. The Olympic break runs from Feb. 6–24, giving him just under a month to recover.
Thomas, 26, has seen his name surface in trade talks over the past few weeks. That’s why getting this taken care of now matters, as it keeps the door open for the Blues to still use him as a trade chip. If the right deal comes along, they will have that option. However, according to Friedman, even a minor step like this could slow ongoing trade negotiations.
“He had a small cleanup procedure, he’s going to be out of the lineup until just after the Olympics and that might slow down any conversations there.”
This isn’t ideal for either the player or the team. That said, there hasn’t been a strong sense of urgency around moving Thomas to begin with. Friedman mentioned that teams may struggle to meet the Blues’ asking price. This could ultimately keep Thomas in St. Louis at least until the summer.
Regardless of whether he ends up being traded, the good news is that Thomas won’t miss the remainder of the season. That’s always the first thing a player wants to hear when they find out surgery is necessary.
Thomas currently leads the Blues in scoring with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 42 games this season.
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