In a devastating blow to the St. Louis Blues, forward Robert Thomas is set to be sidelined for an extended period of time due to a fractured ankle. The team made the announcement on Wednesday, revealing that Thomas will be re-evaluated in six weeks. As a result of his injury, Thomas has been placed on the injured reserve list.
The injury occurred during Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets when Thomas bravely blocked a shot early in the third period. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to return to the game. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reported that Thomas had x-rays following the game and was notably absent from the ice during the Blues’ practice the following morning.
Blues head coach Drew Bannister expressed his disappointment over the news, highlighting Thomas’ strong performance in the game prior to his injury. Bannister emphasized the importance of the team coming together in the absence of their talented forward, stating, “It’s going to be a group pulling together. You can’t make up for the player, but as a group, we can make up for it.”
Thomas had a notable impact on Tuesday’s game, contributing to both of St. Louis’ goals in just over 15 minutes of ice time. The 25-year-old has been off to a solid start this season, with one goal and five assists in six games. Last season, Thomas had an impressive 86 points, with 26 goals and 60 assists, earning himself a spot on the All-Star team for the first time in his career.
Selected as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Thomas has spent his entire seven-year career with the Blues. He is currently in the fourth year of an eight-year, $65 million contract that carries an $8.13 million cap hit. As the team navigates through this challenging period without Thomas, they will look to rally together and find ways to fill the void left by his absence on the ice.