The Minnesota Wild desperately needed a No. 1 center entering the offseason, something that the organization hasn't hid from the rest of the league. They seemed to have had luck fall into their favor, as Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings requested a trade. In an offseason lacking star power, Larkin now enters the fray.
Most eyes instantly went towards the Wild, not only because of their reputation as buyers, but also because of his Team USA links in Minnesota with Bill Guerin, Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy, and Brock Faber. If Larkin is looking to end his playoff drought, going to the Wild makes sense. Sure enough, they are one of three teams that Larkin reportedly has on his trade wishlist, which also includes the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.
There is the possibility that his trade wishlist grows, especially if general manager Steve Yzerman is looking for a larger return. The Wild being one of Larkin's three desired teams to be traded to is huge. But what if they miss out on him? Well, one option appears to be off the board for the Wild.
Robert Thomas no longer an option for Wild to address No. 1 center need
Andy Strickland of FanDuel Sports Network revealed on Friday that the St. Louis Blues "are not looking to move their No. 1 center" Robert Thomas this offseason. Strickland says that it's expected Thomas will be on the roster as the Blues enter training camp in September.
Robert Thomas trade rumors can be put to rest. The #stlblues are not looking to move their #1 center. Expect Thomas to be on the roster when training camp begins in September.
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 6, 2026
The Blues are undergoing a regime change, as Doug Armstrong stepped aside as general manager, a role that Alex Steen will now take over. As of now, it looks like Steen is keeping the roster intact, including Thomas.
At this year's trade deadline, Thomas was floated around as a potential target. However, the Blues had an incredibly high asking price for the scoring center, with the belief that it was the equivalent of three first-half-of-the-first-round picks, which extended to NHL player, draft prospect, and draft picks. The Buffalo Sabres were notably in the running before backing out of talks with the Blues.
The Wild were looking at the possibility of acquiring Thomas at the trade deadline. ESPN's Greg Wyshynski recent noted that the Wild offered forward Danila Yurov and goalie Jesper Wallstedt for Thomas while mentioning the possibility of acquiring Larkin this offseason.
This past season, Thomas recorded 25 points, 39 assists, and a 52.5 face-off win percentage in 64 games. In his eight-year career with the Blues, Thomas recorded 132 goals, 328 assists, and a 51.7 face-off win percentage.
If Strickland's reporting is true, then Wild fans don't have to worry about paying a premium to a division rival for a center, as good as Thomas is. However, it does take a center option off the board, meaning they will have to do their damndest to convince the Red Wings and Yzerman to trade Larkin to them. If not, the Wild may have to pivot back to Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers.
