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Across the last two months of the 2024-25 season, there was a real argument that no NHL player was better than Robert Thomas.

From the 4 Nations Face-Off until the end of the regular season, Thomas could find himself at or near the top of plenty of leaderboards around the league.

Points? His 40 were most in the league.

Assists? His 32 were five more than the next-closest player.

Plus-minus? At plus-18, he was tied with Lane Hutson for best rating.

Even-strength points? He was second behind David Pastrnak with 28.

And then the stat that mattered most to Blues players and fans alike: wins. The Blues’ 19-4-3 record down the stretch was the best in the NHL, allowing them to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022 before losing in seven games to Winnipeg.

It may come as no surprise that Thomas played the best hockey of his career after one of the biggest snubs of his career, as he was left off the Canadian roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off and had to watch teammates Colton Parayko and Jordan Binnington win for Team Canada. A fractured ankle in October robbed Thomas of 12 games and likely contributed to being left off the Canadian roster.

Despite the injury, Thomas still finished with 81 points in 70 games, a pace that would have put him at 95 points across an entire 82-game season. At 1.16 points per game, Thomas became the first Blue since Pavol Demitra in 2002-03 to produce at that rate.

Now, the question is what can Thomas do for an encore to his flourishing finish?

In the two seasons without Ryan O’Reilly, Thomas has cemented himself as a true No. 1 center in the NHL, someone who can take on tough matchups, produce offensively and be counted on in every situation. He’s shown that he’s one of the best playmakers in the league, and has quietly transformed himself into a force at the faceoff dot.

Thomas and his $8.125 million cap hit are already a massive bargain given the rising cap and his performance, and the Blues already know he’s the franchise player to build around. So, really, what’s next for Thomas?

There is the 90-point plateau, which hasn’t been reached by a Blue since Demitra. Thomas would become the 10th player in franchise history to reach that mark, a list that also includes names like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Adam Oates and Bernie Federko. If he reaches 100 points, he would be the first Blue in more than 30 years to do so.

There is reaching 60 assists again. If Thomas reaches that mark for the third straight season, he’ll join Federko as the only Blues to ever have three-plus 60-assist seasons in the Note.

There is the Selke Trophy conversation, too. If you asked Jim Montgomery down the stretch about Thomas’ play, he would have told you about his defensive impacts more than his offensive exploits. Night after night, Thomas faced the top lines and pairs on the other side of the ice, and he consistently won his matchup. Oh, he was also the team’s most used forward on the penalty kill on a per game basis.

Is this the season when Thomas finally gets his flowers as one of the best centers in the sport?

Across the past two seasons, Thomas has 167 points. Among centers, he’s eighth behind Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, J.T. Miller and Brayden Point. Five of those players have won a Hart Trophy in their careers.