Tyler Tucker’s injury may have opened the door for Adam Jiricek, and the timing could hardly be worse for the veteran depth defenseman.
Tucker picked up a knee injury during drills on Sunday and sat out Monday night, leaving Blues coach Jim Montgomery to provide only a vague update before the preseason game. “It's more than day-to-day, but we don't have a timeline yet because we think he'll be re-evaluated in a couple days.”
For Tucker, that’s a tough break at a critical point in camp. He was already in a fight for a roster spot, and now the injury could push him farther toward the edge of the picture.
That’s where Jiricek comes in. If Tucker can’t go, the Blues are likely to give their first-round pick from the 2024 NHL Draft a real chance to show he belongs.
The 16th overall selection has been a major talking point all offseason, and St. Louis appears ready to find out what he can do against NHL competition.
There is still a catch, though: Jiricek is expected to start the season in the AHL. He spent last year with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, where he played 55 games and posted 19 goals and 59 points. That production is eye-catching, but it doesn’t automatically mean he’s ready to translate that game to the NHL right away.
Still, Tucker’s absence could give the Blues a cleaner look at Jiricek before making any final decisions on the roster.
None of that necessarily means Tucker is gone from the picture, though.
He remains a useful seventh or eighth defenseman, and he already has more than 150 games of NHL experience. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he brings size and physicality that teams value in a depth role, even if he isn’t going to drive the offense.
That’s why Tucker still figures to be in the Blues’ plans, even if the roster squeeze gets tighter. The question is less whether he matters and more where he fits.
And that’s the real wrinkle here: Jiricek is not yet a lock, but Tucker is the known commodity. St.
Louis understands exactly what it has in him, and if he does end up on waivers as the roster is trimmed this week, there’s a good chance he clears. That would give the Blues a deeper blue line, which is exactly what they need as they try to keep pace in the Central Division.
In Other News...
Blues May Have Found A Goalie Answer Sooner Than Expected
Georgii Romanov has already given the Blues a little more than expected in the preseason, and not just in the box score. In two exhibition appearances, the goaltender has looked composed enough to keep the conversation alive about where he fits in St. Louis longer-term picture, especially after his strong postseason stretch with Springfield helped put him on the organizations radar.
Romanovs rise matters because the Blues are still sorting out their future in net, and depth at the position rarely comes easy. He is not being handed anything yet, but the early returns suggest the club may have a real option developing behind the current group, one that could grow into a backup role as other prospects continue to move through the system. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Blue Line Has One Problem That Could Decide Everything
The Blues blue line looks deeper than it has in years, but the real question for next season is how the pieces fit when the games start to count. Philip Broberg is viewed as the groups top defenseman, Colton Parayko still has the size and experience to anchor a top pair if his game holds, and Logan Mailloux gives St. Louis another young right-shot option with upside. Add Cam Fowlers steadying influence and Brandon Carlos chance to rebound under Jim Montgomery, and the Blues have a defense corps with far more structure than it did not long ago.
Even with that depth, the lineup does not fully sort itself out. The final rotation spot among Theo Lindstein, Adam Jiricek and Tyler Tucker could end up mattering more than it seems in camp, because the Blues need reliable minutes beyond the top four and cant afford to guess wrong on their sixth defenseman. Jiricek appears to be the likeliest to begin in Springfield, but that only underscores how much the competition still depends on who shows the most readiness before opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Fans Will Be Watching One Preseason Scare Closely
The Blues preseason reached its midpoint with a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, but there was still enough to like in the details. Mason McTavish made a strong first impression in his first game with St. Louis, and the top line of Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway showed encouraging chemistry even without finding the scoresheet.
Joel Hofer also gave the Blues a steady night in net, turning aside 17 of 18 shots before being pulled in the third period. The one item that will get a closer look from the St. Louis side came when Holloway briefly exited after stepping in for Snuggerud and did not return until later, a preseason scare that is unlikely to linger but will be watched closely as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]