The Blues have positioned middle Robert Thomas on injured reserve, per a team release. The star ahead suffered a fractured ankle in Tuesday evening’s loss to the Jets and might be re-evaluated in six weeks.
Thomas left the sport within the second interval after blocking a shot from Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk. An ordinary IR placement means he’d be eligible to return on Oct. 29, however he’ll be out till at the least Dec. 4. Meaning Thomas will miss St. Louis’ subsequent 19 video games on the very least — almost 1 / 4 of the common season.
The 2017 first-round decide has a laundry record of minor accidents all through his seven-year NHL profession, however seldom few have lasted greater than a few weeks. Just one, a damaged left thumb sustained in February 2021, sidelined him for so long as this ankle fracture will.
Nevertheless, no accidents affected Thomas final season; he performed in all 82 video games for the primary time. Varied accidents and sicknesses value him 9 video games in 2022-23, and he’s additionally had a pair of semi-serious shoulder accidents previously few years. However he’s nonetheless made at the least 70 appearances on 4 events, together with final 12 months’s career-best 60-assist, 86-point marketing campaign.
Now in his prime, the 25-year-old is rising because the Blues’ high ahead and one of many league’s higher playmaking facilities. He’s produced exactly a degree per recreation because the starting of the 2021-22 season, tied for thirtieth within the league over that timeframe. He’s additionally turn out to be a robust possibility within the dot, profitable over half his attracts the previous few years. That was particularly vital for St. Louis after making pure winger Pavel Buchnevich their No. 2 middle, a tough proposition contemplating his profession 32.5 FOW%. This 12 months, Thomas had a objective and 5 assists by way of seven video games.
Thomas joins Nick Leddy and Oskar Sundqvist on injured reserve (Torey Krug is on LTIR and out for the season after ankle surgical procedure). They’ve opened up a roster spot along with his IR placement. With Alexey Toropchenko nonetheless day-to-day with a lower-body damage, they’ll possible summon a ahead from AHL Springfield earlier than Thursday’s recreation towards the Maple Leafs. Captain Brayden Schenn, who has simply two factors by way of seven video games however a 51.5 FOW%, may exchange Thomas as their top-line middle.