Robert Thomas

It took some time for Thomas to get used to the NHL game, but it's official now that he's here to stay. The 20-year-old finished his rookie campaign with 33 points in 72 games, and his production was even better down the stretch with 19 points over the final 30 contests. There were times during the postseason that Thomas looked like the best player on the ice, as his speed opens up space for his teammates while his vision helps develop plays out of seemingly nothing. Thomas could become a star in this league, and with top-six duties on tap, it would be surprising if he didn't ring up 50 points this year.

A speedy center is what the Blues were missing in a turbulent 2017-18 campaign that fell short of the playoffs. Thomas has uncanny agility and an elite hockey sense, which triggered the Blues to select him No. 20 overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. The touted prospect spent last season in the OHL, racking up 24 goals and 75 points in 49 games, helping to win the league's championship while reeling in playoff MVP honors. He also mustered six points in seven games for Team Canada in the 2018 IIHF World Championships. There's nothing left for the 19-year-old Thomas to accomplish in Canadian juniors but he's still too young for the AHL, so St. Louis is expected to bring him up to the big club. GM Doug Armstrong wants to ease Thomas into action, so he'll likely start the season on the fourth line with special teams duties. However, Armstrong also added that if Thomas picks up the flow quickly, he could center the top line with Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko by the new year. Such a testament gives the pivot huge upside if he can make the leap.