In the first intermission of an Eastern Conference match hosted by Boston against Pittsburgh, the All-Star Game selections for each Western Conference’s all-stars were announced. Blues centre Robert Thomas served as the team’s representative for the game set to commence in Toronto on February 3rd.
We already knew Robert Thomas was elite. Now everyone else does too. #NHLAllStar #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 5, 2024
In his sixth entire season with the Blues, Thomas has finally honed a position as the team’s definitively elite centre, with his 39 points in 36 games significantly separated from the rest of the club. For all well-versed with the play of the Blues this season, such a selection is not exactly surprising; truthfully, no Blue has entirely earned the honour of an NHL all-star for his play-directing centre and alternate captain.
Robert Thomas Selected to All-Star Game
This season, St. Louis has developed a reasonably understandable dependency on the play of Robert Thomas. For reference, the Blues without Robert Thomas this season generated offence at a level 19 percent below league average while becoming paralyzed in the defensive zone, with an expected goals against per 60 rate five percent worse than the league average. With Thomas, the Blues performed at a rate of 31 percent and five percent improved, respectively, per HockeyViz.
For many seasons, Thomas has possessed several hallmarks of a truly elite centre at the NHL level, namely, his on-ice intellect and its contributions to his two-way play, play-creation, and passing, which have now re-synergized once again, with Thomas’ increased shooting frequency arguably the primary factor in his productive increases seen from last season into this season. Such qualities enable his defensive-zone puck support and its conversion to rush attempts and opportunities, with his high-level passing fundamental in his highly productive results. All such factors, alongside improved shooting success, culminated in the establishment of his role as a true number-one centre in the league. Thomas’ 82-game pace of 88 points is the highest of his career thus far but not the first in which he has produced over the point per game mark (he did so in 2021-22).
NHL All-Star Fan Vote
With Thomas selected to the All-Star game, he is the lone Blue for now. As of now, the NHL All-Star Game fan vote is open for ballots and will be until the 11th of this month. Blues fans will have the opportunity to vote for another Blue, such as Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchneivch, or even Jordan Binnington, who has admittedly regressed to the results seen last season. Still, the opportunity to select another team representative always holds particularly cherished league-wide, with the decreased voting window only deriving such an idea further.
Meanwhile, Robert Thomas continues his career-best season with the additional indication of league-wide recognition of his talent.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
