The Detroit Red Wings have a couple of days to address two of their major needs before their playoff push, and that's a second-line center and right-shot defenseman, both with terms remaining on their contracts. The Red Wings are exploring the top of the center market, and that includes Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. The Blues, understandably so, have a huge asking price for Thomas, which is the equivalent of three Top 15 draft picks. But the Red Wings have the assets to pull it off if they so choose.
But new reporting on Tuesday shows that the Red Wings have reason to worry about one of the top players on the trade block could head to a rival.
TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Tuesday that talks between the Blues and Buffalo Sabres involving Thomas are "heating up."
Red Wings rival Sabres in heated trade discussions for Robert Thomas
The Sabres making a run at one of the top players on the trade market shouldn't be surprising. They are currently in solid positioning to make the playoffs, thus ending their drought after 14 years. Entering Tuesday, the Sabres sat in second place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points through 60 games (35-19-6 record). With the team having a chance at ending the drought, it's understandable why they are going all out to land a legitimate top six forward.
As for what the Sabres are offering, The Athletic NHL insider Chris Johnston is reporting that the Sabres are believed to be "dangling the equivalent of multiple first-rounders" in trade talks with the Blues for Thomas. Johnston also says the Sabres are believed to be a dark horse team that "could spice up this trade deadline."
The Red Wings sit in third place with 70 points through 61 games. The Tampa Bay Lightning sit in first with 80 points through 58 games. The Montreal Canadiens (75 points) and Boston Bruins (71 points) hold the two Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference. There isn't much wiggle room between these five teams, and the Sabres look to be making what could be the biggest splash of the trade deadline.
Even if Detroit loses out on Thomas, there are still top centers available. They are linked to Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers, and are reportedly "aggressively pursue" Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks. There are options for them. But to see Thomas, who can be a consistent 80-point scorer who is only 26-years-old and is under contract through the 2030-31 season with an annual cap hit of $8.1 million, go to a division rival like the Sabres? That could sting.
We'll see what General Manager Steve Yzerman has up his sleeve.