Thomas to represent Blues at 2024 NHL All-Star Game

Robert Thomas will represent the St. Louis Blues at 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend from Feb. 1-3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Thomas, who will be making his first-ever NHL All-Star appearance, will be in attendance for the NHL All-Star Skills event on Feb. 2 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN) and in the NHL All-Star Game on Saturday, Feb. 3 (2 p.m. CT, ABC).

“It’s pretty exciting, especially for it being in Toronto, my hometown,” Thomas told stlouisblues.com. “To be able to play there in front of your friends and family, they’re all so excited, so it’s really exciting stuff. It could have been a lot of people on this team [going to the All-Star Game], and I wouldn’t be here without those guys helping me this year, so it’s pretty exciting.”

“It’s well deserved,” Blues Head Coach Drew Bannister added. “He’s been an outstanding player since I’ve come in here, but certainly for the first half of the season, he’s been a catalyst for this team on both ends of the ice. He’s had tough matchups every night, has played very well, and he has thrived in that role. I’ve said this before, but moving forward here he’s going to be a superstar in this League, and he’s going to be a big important part of this organization and team moving forward to have success.”

Although he’s used to playing against some of the NHL’s biggest stars every night, All-Star Weekend will mark the first time Thomas gets to play on the same team with many of them. This year’s event will feature the return of the NHL All-Star Player Draft on Feb. 1 (5 p.m. CT, ESPN2) and will allow designated captains to build their fantasy hockey teams, regardless of division or conference.

“I’ve been able to get to know most of the guys, especially in our division over the years,” Thomas said. “It will be nice to be on the same side as a lot of them, and obviously we also have some rivalries. It will be cool to get to know them better and play with them.”

“There’s no question he belongs there,” Bannister said of Thomas joining All-Star Weekend. “He’s proved that over the last little while, and it’s good opportunity for him. It’s certainly well deserved that he’s there, because he should be there.”