Canadiens Would Need A Fantastic Offer To Net Robert Thomas

In the run-up to the trade deadline, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas’ reported availability continues to make the headlines. The Central Division team is currently dead last in its division and second-to-last in the Western Conference and has let it be known that it’s ready to move on from some of its veterans, including their first-line center, Thomas.

According to multiple reports, the Montreal Canadiens are very interested in the pivot, and they have been for some time, as RG.org writer Marco D’Amico reports. The Habs brass contacted the Blues’ front office but backed off due to the steep asking price. Last month, Nick Kypreos reported that Doug Armstrong and co. were after the equivalent of three first-round picks to let go of the pivot. Today, D’Amico reports that the ask would be equivalent to four first-round picks.

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On the latest episode of The Sick Podcast, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels says he believes a deal for Thomas would likely look like the one between the Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild for Quinn Hughes in which Vancouver received defenseman Zeev Buium (12th overall pick at the 2024 draft), center Marco Rossi (9th overall pick at the 2020 draft), winger Liam Ohgren (19th overall pick at the 2022 draft) and Minnesota’s first-round pick at the upcoming draft. In other words, four first-round pick players.

If that’s the asking price, the Canadiens could definitely meet it, as they have the assets, but D’Amico believes Armstrong would want highly touted prospect Michael Hage to be part of the deal, and the Habs are reluctant to part with the youngster. As you might recall, the Canadiens traded up with the Los Angeles Kings at the 2024 draft to select Hage with the 21st overall pick, as they were quite high on the player.

Since then, the youngster has put two solid seasons together in the NCAA, recording 34 points in 31 games in his rookie season with the University of Michigan, and he now has 45 points in 34 games in his sophomore season. Furthermore, at the latest World Junior Championship, he led the scoring race with 15 points in just seven games. Whether the Habs’ brass likes it or not, right now, Hage has the wow factor to make that deal happen.