Could Blues rookie return to Bulldogs?
He’s back, but still in blue.
Robert Thomas, the first Hamilton Bulldogs player to play a regular season game in the National Hockey League, is in Toronto for a matchup with the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
If he dresses — he was a healthy scratch in Montreal on Wednesday — it will be his sixth game in a St. Louis Blues uniform.
Here’s why that matters: If Thomas plays fewer than 10 NHL games, the Blues — who are off to a slow start and have a stockpile of centres — are still able to send him back to the Ontario Hockey League this season without burning a year of his contract.
Since he acquired Thomas in January, Bulldogs general manager Steve Staios has maintained that the NHL first rounder will play for the Blues this season. That was always the message he received from the St. Louis brass.
He said recently that nothing has changed, at least not from his perspective.
But here’s the good news for Bulldogs fans. Until the 19-yearold from Aurora crosses that nine-game threshold, there’s still a chance.
The Spectator spoke with Thomas — who is logging roughly nine minutes of ice time per game on the Blues fourth line — after a practice in Toronto earlier this week. Here’s an excerpt from that conversation edited for length and clarity:
Teri Pecoskie: This is a big change for you. How is it going?
Robert Thomas: It’s been a whole learning experience for me. Obviously, the game is a ton different up here than it is in junior, so, I think I’m just slowly getting into it and slowly working my way up and, yeah, it’s just a process where you have to learn the whole game and get the coach’s trust. Then you can start playing.
TP: How would you describe the transition from junior hockey to the NHL?
RT: It’s a pretty big jump. I think it’s definitely a lot more difficult, not only on the ice but mentally as well. It definitely takes time.
TP: I’m sure you know all about the nine-game limit. Has that been on your mind?
RT: I’d say yeah, it’s always on your mind, but I think you just have to focus on each game, game by game, and try to drown it out. I actually think I’ve done a pretty good job with that. I haven’t thought about it the last couple of games, so it’s been good. It’s something that I talked to a bunch of people about, and they said you should really get it out of your head.
TP: What has been the message from the Blues management in the meantime?
RT: I think their message is just to relax and have fun. I think that’s the biggest thing. If you get yourself all worked up about something like that or how much you’re playing, it just drags you down. So you’ve just got to enjoy the whole thing.
TP: How has the NHL experience so far aligned with your expectations?
RT: I think it has kind of been exactly what I expected and I think just moving forward you’ve got to stick with it and have a lot of fun while you’re doing it.
TP: What do you think about the prospect of coming back to Hamilton?
RT: Either way, it’s good for me. I’ve been following along with the Bulldogs, they’ve been playing well and a lot of the guys are having a lot of success... Obviously, I want to stay up here. That’s my main goal. But if worst comes to worst, it’s not a bad second option.
TP: Do you miss the type of ice time you were getting as a junior player?
RT: A little bit. It’s tough when you’re not playing as much, but if you can make that jump, it’s more competitive and that’s what everyone wants. More competition and tougher matchups, so I think that’s the main thing.
TP: Do you feel that you’re developing in that role?
RT: For sure. It’s not like it was back in the day where the fourth line is the tough guys. Our fourth line right now has (Jordan) Kyrou and (Sammy) Blais, so it’s pretty skilled.
TP: Are you under any pressure to put up more points?
RT: No. That’s one thing I think has come a long way. They just mentioned that you’re not going to stay if you score 100 goals. It’s just about helping the team win and developing your game, so that’s what I’ve been focused on.