Perfect offer from Red Wings for Blues’ Robert Thomas

The The Detroit Red Wings are one of the best teams in hockey at this time. Detroit is second in the Atlantic Division after losing to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. However, they are just one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning. And with their current pace, they are a legitimate threat to win the division title for the first time since 2011.

However, this is far from a perfect team. They have some glaring needs on their roster with a postseason picture starting to take shape. for example, Detroit needs help on its blue line. This was the case even before Simon Edwinsson was lost to injury through the Olympic break. His injury makes the need for top-four defensemen even more pronounced.

At the same time, Detroit’s offense needs a spark. The Red Wings’ offensive analytics haven’t looked great over the past month. Their scoring depth has also long been an issue. Marco Kasper has seemingly found his game, which certainly helps. However, the Red Wings need to add going forward to help their depth score.

Detroit has a chance to make some noise this spring. They have a ton of cap space, a stockpile of picks and one of the best prospect pipelines in the league. The Red Wings could be big, and with that in mind, here’s the perfect trade deal that could see them St. Louis Blues star Robert Thomas.

Robert Thomas’ Complete Trade Proposal

In this scenario, the Detroit Red Wings would acquire forward Robert Thomas from the St. Louis Blues. In exchange, the Blues would acquire forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard, a 2026 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, and defenseman William Wallinder. If the Red Wings advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2026 or 2027, the second-round pick becomes a first-round pick.

Red Wings add dynamic addition to Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings have some really good players in their top six. Alex DeBrincat is on track for his third 40+ goal season in his career. Dylan Larkin is starting to find his game again after the recent decline. Patrick Kane has seemingly defeated Father Time. And Lucas Raymond is one of the best young forwards in the game.

However, there is one glaring hole in this top-six lineup: the second-line center. Detroit was hoping Kasper would be the answer at this spot for the foreseeable future. He could also be a long-term second-line center. For now, though, Detroit needs someone who can produce now. Outside of this recent surge, Casper has been largely unproductive in 2025-26.

Thomas didn’t produce his usual tally, to be fair. But his record certainly lends credence to the idea that he could produce on a playoff team. The Blues star has scored 60+ points in each of the last four seasons. And over the last two years, he has scored 80+ points.

That’s the kind of production the Red Wings could use. Combine the fact that he is still only 26 years old, and he signed long term for a fairly manageable shot, and it’s hard to understate how well he fits the Red Wings’ current trajectory.

The Blues provide a needed roster change

The Blues are one of the worst teams in the NHL right now. It’s a very unfortunate turn of events for St. Louis, especially considering what they were able to do last season. St. Louis pushed the Presidents Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets to seven games in a first-round playoff matchup. The improvement in 2025-26 seemed like a natural occurrence.

However, this has now turned out. And as a result, the Blues have a chance to give their roster a much-needed shakeup. Brandsegg-Nygard gives them a very promising winger who could fill a role in the top six. Wallinder could skate in a four-man role, and may already be able to skate in the NHL if the Blues decide to do so. They could also end up with two first-round picks in this deal.

Losing Thomas will hurt in the short term. But acquiring important future assets could help launch future success. They would also get a bit more headroom. They can regroup over the next few seasons and hopefully return to contention sooner rather than later.

The Blues probably want to keep Thomas as long as possible. However, they have a chance to get a catch and signal that they are serious about reorganizing their roster. If they were offered a package like this, from the Red Wings or any other team, they would have to seriously consider it.