- The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz revealed the Blues’ price for Robert Thomas in talks with the Flyers
- St. Louis wanted Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt and a first-round pick from Philadelphia
- Read below for why the Flyers balked and where Thomas stands now
Philadelphia wanted Robert Thomas badly. The Flyers just weren’t willing to gut their future to get him.
The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported the price St. Louis put on its No. 1 center in talks with Philadelphia. The Blues wanted Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt, and a first-round pick, and the Flyers said no thanks.
That ask was always going to be a tough sell.
Martone is the kind of winger the Flyers can’t easily replace. Nesbitt, the 12th pick in the 2025 draft, is a 6-foot-5 center who has put up a point per game in the OHL.
Handing over both, plus a first-rounder, was too rich for Philadelphia.
A top-line center has been Philadelphia’s white whale for a while now. They kicked the tires on Dylan Larkin too and didn’t crack his short list.
St. Louis set the bar high for everyone who called. Chris Johnston spelled out how steep it got:
Thomas is exactly the player a contender wants down the middle. The 26-year-old right-shot center is signed for five more seasons at $8.15 million. He led the Blues with 25 goals and 64 points in 64 games and closed the year on a tear.
Watch all 25 of his goals from this past season:
None of this matters much right now anyway. Thomas reportedly isn’t going anywhere this summer, with St. Louis keeping its top center. Philadelphia’s search for one carries on.
