Thomas has three games left before a year of his entry-level contract kicks in.

EDGE Analysis

This essentially means that Thomas has three games to prove he belongs with the Blues, or else they'll send him back to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL since he's too young to play in the AHL. The 19-year-old racked up 24 goals and 75 points in 49 regular-season games and 32 points in 21 postseason games in Canadian Juniors last year, so the Blues figure he has little to gain from heading back down. With the Blues, the 2017 first-round pick has been stuck on the fourth line averaging 9:01 with one assist through six games. The Blues have made Thomas a healthy scratch four times to buy more time with the decision, and that can be expected again especially if Robby Fabbri (groin) comes back soon.