Robert Thomas trade talk just took a big turn, and the Boston Bruins may be out of luck ahead of the Olympic trade freeze.

Boston has been linked to Thomas for a while in the rumor mill, mostly because true top-six centers almost never hit the market.

St. Louis is at least listening, but the price has always sounded brutal. Elliotte Friedman said it would take an “overwhelming” package to pry him loose.

Now the story changed on Saturday.

Thomas had a minor leg procedure, and the Blues expect him to be out until after the Olympic break.

That’s not a day-to-day tweak, either. He hasn’t played since January 10th, and he was placed on injured reserve January 15.

Before he went down, Thomas had 11-22-33 in 42 games, the exact kind of production Boston dreams about down the middle.

And the timing is nasty, because the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze starts February 4 at 3 p.m. ET which is just two days away, and runs through February 22.

Robert Thomas injury changes things for the Bruins

One path is the optimistic one. An injured player can scare off bidders, and that can soften the price if the Blues truly want maximum futures now.

The other path is colder. St. Louis could simply pause talks, let him heal, and revisit everything after the break when teams can actually see him skate again.

So yes, surgery could make Thomas cheaper.

It could also knock the Bruins completely out of the conversation if another team is willing to pay big anyway, betting on the long view.

Acquiring a player like Thomas could give the Bruins some of the best center depth in the NHL.

The Bruins already have some real solid center depth, and acquiring a player like him would just add to it.