St. Louis Blues' Robert Thomas (18) celebrates a goal on on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) on a shot by Jimmy Snuggerud, not shown, during the first period of an NHL playoff game in Winnipeg, Monday April 21, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
Blues center Robert Thomas sat out practice again on Wednesday, the second practice he’s missed since getting injured in the final regular-season game.
Coach Jim Montgomery termed it a maintenance day and said that Thomas would be “a player tomorrow.â€
Thomas left the Blues’ final regular-season game in the third period after getting hit in the leg by a stick. He went to the dressing room, came back, took a trial spin on the ice, and then left. Montgomery said after the game that Thomas was held out as a precaution.
When the team resumed practice two days later, Thomas was absent, again for a maintenance day, but he was back for the practice on the next day, Friday, and has led the team in ice time after the first two games, averaging 21:33 per game. But after Game 2, Thomas was walking gingerly in the dressing room.
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With Thomas out, Mathieu Joseph took his place centering the top line, which has the makings of him just being a placeholder. Alexandre Texier, who hasn’t played since March 27, skated on the third line with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc. Even with a long break, Montgomery thinks Texier would have no problem stepping back into the lineup.
“Yes, because he has incredible self-belief and confidence,†Montgomery said. “He is very, very high end with the puck, and he does things in practice that not a lot of players I've seen that I've had the fortune of coaching be able to do what he does. So yes.â€
The Blues lines in practice on Wednesday:
Snuggerud-Joseph-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Schenn-Kyrou
Texier-Sundqvist-Bolduc
Toropchenko-Faksa-Walker
Defensive pairings
Fowler-Parayko
Broberg-Faulk
Suter-Leddy/Tucker
Goalies
Binnington
Hofer
