St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas discusses his first career selection to the NHL All-Star Game, living with the Tkachuk family when he first entered the league, his golf game and more on the latest edition of NHL Now’s Players Only with Kevin Weekes and Ken Daneyko.
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Here in St Louis it’s now Thomas’s team offensively holy jumping what a snapshot that was really the last two years has kind of been The Changing of the Guard Robert Thomas he scores his first and he goal remarkable player remarkable player when he gets on a heater he can backbone
Any team to some good numbers for the first time in their history the St Louis BL on the Stanley Cup champion the guy can skate really good Puck mover he wants to be a playmaker short handed breakway from Robert Thomas he scores but he is one of the best in the League well well well well we always want to bring them inside the room right Dan absolutely bring them inside the room let’s get on the let’s get some meat let’s get some meat out well listen we’re going to get a lot of meat here cuz you’re here number one and we got a
Great guest too in Robert Thomas first time Allstar here in players only so congrats to you on the allstar game thanks for taking the time to join us what does it feel like for you to say I’m an NH Allstar yeah uh pretty cool feeling um
You know I I think the coolest thing was talking to my parents uh they were so stoked and uh you know especially being in Toronto this year it couldn’t be could be a better spot to to have your first one than in your hometown uh the tickets are going to be a little
Expensive but uh should be a blast for all my friends and family absolutely congratulations Robert I mean that’s uh quite an honor and especially your first one I can’t imagine how it feels for your family as well that you you touched on that so important everything they’ve supported
You over the years and so it must be pretty special for them as well but I want to go to your first year in St Louis as a as a teenager as a youngster and you had the opportunity to live with the kachuck family and I can’t imagine
How how good that was for you and certainly being around uh Walt as they call him Keith kachuck who I played a long time against who was such a competitor such a great player and obviously he’s got Great sons in the National Hockey League that are following his footsteps how was it for
You did you learn a lot from the kachuck yeah learned a ton I think even Matthew and Brady uh obviously they grew up in the locker room and had a ton of experience that that they were able to share throughout uh you know the playoff
Run in my first year and um yeah a couple good photos nice golf trip but um yeah I think everyone knows uh Matthew and Brady’s personalities and and Waltz the the king of them all and uh just such a such a great experience um you
Know being able to learn from a guy like that and uh not just on the ice you know we always watch video and watch hockey together and uh but just off the ice how to be a great teammate how to be great to the trainers and uh there’s so many
Things that uh you just you just don’t know until until you’ve been through it so uh you know it was huge uh getting that mentorship from him I want to add one thing with that so now you play against the Suns you play against Brady and and Matthew and obviously they’re
They’re similar St out of their father they are talented and big and tough I grew up with Mark Messier he was a mentor of mine and when he went got traded uh or went to the New York Rangers we stopped talking for two years because the Rivalry was so big you’re
Not playing in the same division these as these guys but is there a little wink or is it just all about the game or is the competition on kind of thing because I know like I said when I played against Mark who I I just loved and idolized and
All of a sudden it was such a river between the Rangers and Devils that you know I had to try to defend them and it it kind of made it weird for me and difficult yeah no I love it I think there’s there’s nothing better than uh
You know first of all competing but second of all against some of your best friends um I think it’s the best thing ever um you know you line up and a lot of times you’re matched up on the ice together and um you know I think there’s
A game in Ottawa or our first game in St Louis against Ottawa Brady tried to blow me up and I kind of a little shoulder and uh it’s a nice video I got on my phone to to remind him of it so H there’s little things like that that
Come from stuff like that that you just love and to that point you and Brady will bulp be Allstars this year could you have imagined back when you first moved in with them that you might be playing an All-Star game together at some point uh not really um it’s it’s
Pretty cool just you know every year you try and get a little bit better and um you know having a good year this year so it’s it’s pretty exciting uh um you know first of all just being an All-Star but to have a couple buddies um being at
With you it’s pretty special so let’s go to the fact that you’re going to be playing in the All-Star Game in to I’m from Toronto as well it’s going to be I’ll be working for free based on all the family and friends and some new cousins that I don’t know what about you
What have the demands been like for the tickets a lot of new cousins what do you got yeah a ton of friends coming out of the woodwork but know it’ll be uh it’ll be so much fun um you know my grandparents are going to be there they
Haven’t been able to travel as much lately so uh they got down here for Christmas they’re super stoked to be able to to do it they were with us the whole cup run too so uh you know they were someone that’s been been with me uh all the way
Growing up my my grandpa used to drive me to hockey a lot when the parents are working and uh it’s pretty cool to spare to share these special memories with them no doubt so you have a super fan of your Blues because he’s from there is
John Ham I happen to love John Ham I just watched uh the second season The Morning Show and he’s on it so I I know you know him can you maybe introduce me one time Robert I I I love the guy I think he’s a great actor but what’s it
Like having him around in if you guys go to LA or whatever it is and is he that much of a a fan and just loves you guys I mean what’s it like interacting with him yeah I think um you know he loves you know in your movies it’s kind of
Like uh it’s kind of like a locker room a little bit uh he loves being a part of the locker room and all the talk and stuff he’ll come to dinner with us he’ll he’ll just make sure he bounces around and talks to everyone I think he just loves that atmosphere
Uh he’s a great guy he Blends right in with all of us so it’s it’s a lot of fun I love it he’s great no doubt you share a name with the Matchbox 20 lead singer how has that been for you do you get messages from people do sometimes people
Want to reach out do you get some opportunities tell us yeah so uh growing up my my aunt’s favorite singer was was Matchbox 20 love she loved Thomas no way so um I think it was it was just the year after we won the the cup or a little bit after we won
The cup she got to meet him um it probably like a week before they came to St Louis so she gave him a jersey and a hat and uh next week they’re in St Louis and we got to bring the cup up there uh
With them so it was me and him on the stage and uh I got to just talk with him for a couple hours and uh pretty cool to to hear his experience and stuff and oh there’s the photo nice it was pretty awesome so uh I got that signed and and
I gave it back to her and she was pretty stoked it’s a pretty cool moment well isn’t it uh from what I hear rock stars or actors always their dream is to be an athlete for a day and our dream is players a lot of the time and I don’t
Know about you Robert is to be on stage singing right but I I only have one tone bar tone but I I could imagine myself doing that I mean it would be awesome experience right no I don’t think the whole singing and dancing I don’t got
The dancing on the oh no I’m a terrible dancer okay who on the squad then who’s representing for the Blues in the Arts in the arts department I would say probably kyou he loves dancing he should he’s from Parkdale he should be able to yeah yeah
Okay my guy I I could dance off just not on it we see I I have one speech Straight Ahead through the boards yeah sure how many games how many games in the National I I played a lot but just not not as eloquent skillful as Robert
Hey listen you had a different we all have to find our Niche right you had different expertise you had a different next it’s all good how’s the golf game I probably not planed much in season based on the weather although it’s been pretty nice in St Louis I was just there for
Your game a couple weeks ago but how’s the golf game right now uh golf game’s pretty good um got got too much time in last summer hopefully not as much this summer but um yeah we’ve had great weather um started the year in fall and
Uh we’ve had a lot of chances to go out and play so uh it’s been a blast but games games in good shape I’ve been uh taking some of the boys money before the season started really what’s your handicap Robert I know you’re a good
Player uh two and a half nice who’s your biggest competition on your team I’m a huge golfer and I can never get to that level I played with a lot of guys that are teammates that are single digits and I’m getting it’s it’s the most frustrating game in the world but who’s
Your biggest competition uh we got some good golfers we probably got four or five guys under under a six so uh kaan’s been beating me lately before the season um shaner’s pretty good so we we got some good players who would be your dream forsome like if you had one
Opportunity to play golf with or three guys who would it be uh so I’ll stick in the golfing World um Tiger Woods I think that’s pretty self-explanatory yeah I got to play with John Daly we had a charity thing so he was electric he had some good stories
And uh he’s a blast to play with and um and to go with the Canadian brck Anderson I think she’s uh nice she’s a great player nice and did you grow up playing golf too or did you just start when she got a little older or what was
That like for you in terms of your journey in the game yeah I I learned pretty young um again my grandpa he always take me out for lessons and stuff and I wasn’t too much of a beach guy I liked the I like the sports so I’d
Always be at the golf course and then uh kind of in your teenage years didn’t play too much and then got got to my first year in St Louis and got my butt kicked and figured I need to work on my game so I got back into it it becomes an
Obsession doesn’t it I mean so many former teammates of mine they want to play every day I I said 18 couple times a week’s good for me we’re busy yeah D tell them we’re busy did you play every day uh no I play probably but could you
Like what your mentality like you love it that much yeah easily I probably play four times a week in the summer so I love it perfect do you have a favorite course anywhere anywhere not just your home coach horse back in St Louis or Ontario but any other favorite courses
For you um I honestly haven’t got to travel too much and play um I’m gonna check out the the Bandon Dunes this summer and I got an trip so pretty pump for those too nice that a boy that a boy so let me ask you a follow-up for
Allstar for the skills competition is there one or two events that you kind of have your eye on that you’d like to participate in uh uh I’m not I I heard they’re changing them up this year I don’t know what the the exact competitions are but usually the the
Passing one I think I’d be thatd probably be my best one that’s in your not much the the fastest lap ain’t for me hey look like I said we all have our Specialties man but you’re shooting the puck a lot more this year though even though you’re a dish year you made a
Conscious effort to shoot a lot more this year right yeah I’ve been working on a lot um just quick releases and more mindset stuff being in the right areas and just being being ready to shoot at all time so uh something I I really focused on this summer and uh it’s paid
Off so far give me one or two of your favorite road restaurants for you in the National oh um I love eating in New York we always got uh we always got uh knows what’s up three four nights there and uh just the the kind of diversity you can
Get there um I always try and go to a new place so uh it’s probably my favorite city for food favorite food favorite food do you have one or is it just a bunch uh I I’m a big Sushi guy I was about to say Sushi guy right I swear to
God I was about to say it but I’m like maybe he’s a meat and potatoes guy let me back off yeah you’re a sushi guy too yeah Sushi Guy when when I’m doing Devil’s games we have sushi down below I’m I’m three times a week if there’s
Three games a week I love the sushi I’m with you man that’s a good good choice that’s a good call we’re going to do this segment called what what were you thinking so we’re going to transition to the segment all right so we’re going to throw up some pictures
And you’re going to take us through what you were thinking when you see the images oh oh take us through this one here if I was a Batman I knew this one was coming first oh yeah well I was probably thinking I just got blown up so um yeah I couldn’t I I
Remember just turning and I saw him coming full steam ahead and I was like I need to bail as soon as I can so um yeah that was a that was a good one have you guys teammates now have you guys talked about this at all you and kruy ever not
Really a little bit at first uh I remember I sent him a text and we had a pretty good laugh about it now he’s one of my best friends on the team so it’s uh it’s pretty funny so he’s a good man that is that is so funny Robert because
I’m in Scott Stevens top 10 hits where I’m coming around and he sends me into a somersault at Mid ice fortunately wasn’t a shoulder to exactly you know what when everything was different back then and those hits were applauded but I went flying so the first time he came to us
From St Louis all the players when I came in late for practice they had the video up of Scotty hitting me so we had a good laugh about it so I’m sure you guys kind of had had the same thing I I didn’t have I didn’t laugh that much at
It no exactly yeah grizzly bear D was probably sour a little sour yeah I knew you’d bring that oh so good show that on on right when into the practice in the you know how the boys are okay let’s transition to the next one oh oh what a blast yeah take us
Through this one here yeah this was obviously the parade um what a what a cool moment um just the amount of people in St Louis that came out for that and um there’s these guys just ripping around on these little bikes and uh Benner actually just had a bobblehead on
One of these bikes the other night and uh I don’t know how they let us on these things but uh it was pretty cool going down the street and uh I actually got that photo framed uh I don’t have it in here but uh really cool moment and um
That’s a sweet photo Robert I can’t imagine uh how the fans and everybody celebrated I mean it’ been 50 years St Louis Blues had been in the National Hockey League and there there’s no feeling like it I’ve experienced it I’ve been grateful to a couple of times and I
I can’t imagine what you guys are feeling celebrating with the fans just fantastic right yeah just that that whole first week when we got back was was pretty awesome and the whole city seemed to not work and just came out every day and uh it was a blast so great
Memories cool we’ll transition to one that’s along those lines here with this upcoming image like this your cup party back home yeah this is this is uh yeah cup party I had a little celebration with the city um was able to just before I had all the the minor hockey teams
That uh I played in York Simco for for a good eight nine years York Simco Express was able to to show it with all share it with all the guys uh all the kids coming through the program there so uh I had a ton of people show up didn’t expect that
Many people to come and uh it was uh it was a really sweet look at that crowd that’s awesome that’s like 10 Deep maybe more than 10 Deep on the right side that’s a great turnout man good I like it yeah it turned out good that’s so
Neat all right let’s transition to the next one I think we have another one on Deck here for you should be coming up here momentarily nice the first go yes welcome to the National yeah uh I definitely had a ton of scoring chances before that so it was
Nice to get the first one and uh gonna Pat myself in the back it’s kind of a nice shot so a boy that a boy pretty cool moment I got that one uh framed up in one of my jerseys uh so it was p in the net Packa
Rene in the net for that one yeah oh that makes it even sweeter cuz he was he was baller what a go how many games in robt was it for you uh it was around I think 10 I think it took 10 games 10 or 11 somewhere around there I think so
That pretty pretty special one nice I think we have one more Tron oh oh this an OT winner oh yeah I think so um I think it’s was from last year um but yeah always that might have been my first one actually so that was
Uh that was a pretty cool one mhm nice little two-man game with you and vlat tereno there yeah vlat set me up for a lot the last punch of years so uh it’s pretty cool that he got set me up for the first OT winner but that was a
Pretty big game for us so it was pretty exciting love it we we’re gonna end on one more that’s upcoming here producer says oh yeah we were there we were there for that one class yeah that was a that was a chilly one um yeah it was but yeah
That was uh that was pretty cool I liked uh obviously Kyu had a pretty special game you guys were flying that game you’re L yeah we we feeling it um I haven’t seen these highlights in a while it’s nice yeah you’re lying you guys were balling that game boy you guys
Were flying that game yeah it was a second outdoor game so I I got one in the world juniors and and then this one was was pretty cool to get the wind and um in the in the cold conditions but I I like their outfits walking in we had to
Get the good Beach Boys going on so yeah you did you totally did and Hey listen quickly Dan he’s a veteran he’s not Dan veteran status yet but he’s a vet he’s not a veton but he’s a vet though so he might have he might have a little puller
In St Louis maybe you could tell Army and and uh and trainer my man Richie Matthews that you guys should rock those more often those were sweet yeah those jerseys were awesome I love those I know we’ve been trying to get them back but um yeah we got some we got some good
Jerseys coming down I think so should be good Robert we just had the Winter Classic and I know we we ask the players so often and and you do week you in the interviews is how special is brings you back to your childhood and but but what
It’s what’s it really like I mean I mean it is it just another game eventually when you get out there but or or does it really bring bring back uh memories of of a kid and Outdoors and I know it was freezing when you played in the Winter
Classic there yeah I think for me it totally does bring back memories I think you get to share it with all your family they always come in for the game and um you know I grew up on the backyard rink my dad used to always make one and um
You used to freeze your butt off back there so uh it it really did bring me back to to my childhood and yeah you’re playing a game but I think you just have a blast doing it so uh I always love the experience that’s so great to hear it
Man I couldn’t agree more listen Robert continued success thanks so much for joining us as always we appreciate you continue the hard work and you’re one of the bright young players in the league certainly so continue on your path that you’re on right now we appreciate you
And we look forward to having you again soon
