Georgii Romanov has wasted no time making his case in Blues camp.
In two preseason outings, the St. Louis goaltender has only been asked to handle the final two periods, and he’s answered the bell both times.
He stopped all 10 shots he saw after replacing Jordan Binnington, then turned aside seven of eight behind Joel Hofer. The sample is tiny, sure, but the numbers pop: a .947 save percentage and a perfect four-for-four on high-danger chances.
That kind of start doesn’t prove much on its own. It does, however, keep feeding the same question: was Romanov’s strong postseason run for Springfield this past season real, or just a hot streak at the right time? So far, he’s doing plenty to suggest it was no fluke.
The organization already had reason to believe. Romanov’s 2026 Calder Cup playoff run was a big one, posting a 1.84 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage and two shutouts while helping knock out both Charlotte and Providence. That stretch helped earn him a two-year, two-way extension through the 2027-28 season from Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.
And the timing matters.
Joel Hofer, 26, is stepping into the No. 1 role in St. Louis, while Stanley Cup-winning veteran Jordan Binnington, 33, is in the final season of his contract. That leaves the Blues with a real opening when it comes to the next backup, and Romanov is suddenly in position to make that conversation more interesting.
If he can carry this momentum into Springfield, he could become much more than just another name in the system. The ideal version of Romanov is a goalie who can take 40-plus starts, post a save percentage north of .910 and serve as a dependable recall option if injuries hit.
If he develops into a legitimate NHL backup candidate for 2027-28, St. Louis gains flexibility - and a possible Binnington replacement path when that contract runs out.
The ripple effect could be useful elsewhere in the pipeline, too.
Love Harenstam, 19, is coming off a dominant Goaltender of the Year season in HockeyAllsvenskan and a WJC gold-medal season, and he’s staying in Sweden for the 2026-27 season. Marcus Gidlof, 20, is also in that same league this season, continuing his development in Sweden’s second tier.
That means the Blues may have some breathing room down the road. By 2027-28, Romanov could be handling the NHL backup job behind Hofer, opening a spot in Springfield for either Harenstam or Gidlof to work alongside Will Cranley, 24, without the depth chart getting crowded.
Romanov is not being framed as the franchise’s long-term answer. Hofer is the starter now and, the Blues hope, for the future.
Harenstam and Gidlof are still on their own development tracks, with the idea that one of them eventually pushes toward the top job. But Romanov may be the piece that gets St.
Louis from here to there.
If his next season in Springfield looks more like his playoff surge than his regular season line of 9-12-4 and a .896 save percentage, the Blues could have a cheap, steady backup ready just as their top young goaltenders are getting close to crossing over.
In Other News...
Blues Camp Injury Just Raised The Stakes For One Young Defenseman
Tyler Tuckers camp has taken an unwelcome turn after the defenseman went down with a knee injury during drills, forcing him to miss a preseason game and leaving the Blues without much clarity on when he might be back. Jim Montgomery said Tucker will be re-evaluated in a few days, which is the kind of update that keeps a spot on the blue line in flux this early in camp.
That uncertainty opens a door for Adam Jiricek, the Blues 2024 first-round pick, to make a real push for roster consideration. Jiricek is still expected to start the season in the AHL, but injuries have a way of reshaping camp competition quickly, and Tuckers absence gives the young defenseman a chance to show he can stay in the conversation a little longer. [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 🡒]