Costs are high for Robert Thomas
Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff joined TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked if the St. Louis Blues will do with Robert Thomas. Will you be moving now or in the summer?
Writing for NHLRumors.com
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Host: “Anthony, just a lot of noise coming out of St. Louis, not the year they were expecting. Robert Thomas is the name out there. Do you believe a deal will be done this year? Or is it something that can’t be done? Or is it something, because you’re moving such a big piece, that can be done in the summer?”
Anthony Di Marco: “Well, I don’t think it’s going to be done this year, just because of how Doug Armstrong is at his job with the Blues and Team Canada. From what I’ve heard from more than one general manager, and more than one source, that, like, it’s going to take a big move to get Robert Thomas out of St. Louis. And as it should be?
The 26-year-old center is under contract for, I believe, at least four or five more seasons for a total of $8.1 million. You have important trade protection. And if Doug Armstrong has one type of salutation league. Put it to me, trying to leave a legacy. And I think that since he took over, and I believe it was 2009, he is the only General Manager who has never, or the Blues, rather, is the only team that can afford to buy.
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And is he trying to leave a legacy there, and if he’s going to make a big trade like that, he’s going to be a knocker in the words of Jim Ross, maybe, and I don’t know if he’s too busy right now with what’s going on with Team Canada and the Olympics, literally around the corner.
So, for me, I think that would be a deal if, at any point in the summer, you have a new general manager, with Alex Steen with his hands on the wheel and maybe a different philosophy, in a different way.
NHLRumors.com Note: GM Doug Armstrong has raised the market for Robert Thomas since last season. Similar to the values of Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou. He continues to juggle players, but wants to trade them on his terms. Teams interested in Thomas, Kyrou, and Schenn know the prices, and the Blues are banking on it now.
Can the Minnesota Wild Make a Play for Robert Thomas?
In a recent segment on TSN Radio in Montreal, Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff was asked about the Minnesota Wild and their plans at the trade deadline. You speak of Thomas as you should.
Di Marco: “I mean, the Wild will be interesting, right? You hear Jesper Wallstedt’s name circle or more, leading up to the trade deadline. Like, what are they going to do? They need a center? We know obviously the likes of Ryan Hartman, (Joel) Eriksson-Ek, and Danila Yurov will not really cut it, Cup3 before reducing it, 3 ambitions, and by all accounts, that’s exactly what Bill Guerin does, But when we talk about Robert Thomas, guys, I know it’s a division, but since it’s not on paper, the best place to land Robert Thomas is Minnesota.
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