A new era of St. Louis Blues hockey is coming to the “Show-Me” State. General Manager Alex Steen named a new leadership group this week, with forward Robert Thomas named the 25th captain in team history.
“He has certainly dug himself into the fabric of the St. Louis Blues and the community. As our team continues to grow, we are excited to announce the leadership group that will carry on the hard-working identity of the Blues,” Steen said.
The assistant captains are Colton Parayko, Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, and Dylan Holloway. Steen and Thomas had several conversations about him being the captain, and they decided to make it official before training camp.
“The group we’re announcing today is young, hungry, and has the right mix of character, talent, and experience,” Steen said.
Thomas has seen the Blues at their best and worst during his eight seasons in St. Louis. He’s carried the load at times offensively, scoring 460 points across 530 regular-season games.
He’s also seen how former players Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn have been leaders, donning a ‘C’ on their jersey when they played for the Blues.
“He knows what team unity looks and feels like. We all know about his influence on the ice. It’s Robert’s dedication and commitment behind the scenes that not everyone gets to see, but that is what makes him authentic and unique,” Steen said.
What the captaincy means to Thomas
“It’s something I don’t take lightly, and I understand the history here and how much this team means to this city,” Thomas said. “It’s a great honor that you guys continue to put in me. I’m excited about the group we have here. It’s going to be an awesome ride. There’s going to be peaks and valleys, but there’s no group of guys I’d rather go through it with.”
The Blues have been to the playoffs once in the last four seasons. Thomas and the rest of the team are going to have to make a strong run in the Central Division in order to get there.
Part of the way that can happen is how Thomas and this new leadership group treat the postion their in amongst their teammates.
“This team is part of the heartbeat in the city, and that’s something I want people to recognize, and as a leadership group we think that’s important,” Thomas said.
As Thomas begins his tenure as captain of the Blues, he wants each member of the team to be authentic. He wants his teammates to believe in themselves and push each other to be at their best.
Thomas’ traits that make him a captain
Steen is taking over for Doug Armstrong, who was the last GM from 2010 to this July. It was a part of the transition process for Steen to decide which players he would put the most faith in, and that started with Thomas.
“Leadership is an ongoing thing all the time, and he looks for information and resources. He’s a curious person who wants to evolve all the time,” Steen said.
“I know he’s going to be great at this. This is something that he’s going to continue to grow with. I’m excited for the entire group too.”
Head coach Jim Montgomery thought that after the departure of Schenn this season, there were moments when Thomas stepped up. In turn, those moments made it easier for Montgomery to believe in a skater like Thomas to put the Blues closer to having more success again.
“He evolved as a leader in that last month of the season,” Montgomery said. “At one point in a game at home, our first period was a little lethargic. I turned to him and told him it was time to take over the room. The way the team responded to him in the second and third gave me a lot of confidence that he’s our guy.”
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Robert Thomas Represents New Era for St. Louis Blues