Tyler Tucker has spent the last few seasons carving out a role as the St. Louis Blues' physical enforcer on the bottom pair. Coming off a 2025-26 campaign, he logged a career-high 69 games and averaged 14:22 of time on ice; the 25-year-old established himself as the team's primary net-front clearing defenseman. However, as Tucker enters the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent, his hold on a roster spot is under an interesting amount of pressure, with multiple defenders vying for his spot.
The immediate threat
The Blues' new General Manager, Alexander Steen, has often noted his desire for strong internal competition. That bottom-pair and even seventh defenseman position will have its first wave of pressure immediately in training camp from the 2023 first-round pick Theo Lindstein. During a 17-game look with the Blues last season, the 21-year-old Swede showed he is more than comfortable and capable of playing in the NHL, logging 15:46 per game while posting an impressive plus-six rating and four points.
Lindstein offers his team the exact opposite skillset than Tucker. The physical nature of Tucker's game style (157 hits and 81 PIMs in 2025-26) is one that is certainly needed on a blue line that has lacked any bite to it in recent history. Lindstein, on the other hand, uses mobility and precise zone exits to drive play forward. If the Blues' coaching staff prioritizes puck movement over pure physical intimidation on the third pair, Lindstein could force Tucker to the press box.
The new KHL threat
Even if Tucker manages to hold off Lindstein's skillset for the time being, a new threat pushing for that role has arrived from overseas. 2022 fourth-round pick Arseni Koromyslov has officially decided to make his way to North America after playing 158 games in the KHL over the past six seasons, bringing a wealth of professional experience with him.
At 6-foot-5, Koromyslov has a long reach and matches Tucker's physical, stay-at-home style of play while adding some cleaner breakout fundamentals to his game. While Tucker struggled last season distributing the puck (52 giveaways at 5v5), Koromyslov has built his KHL reputation with a willingness to play a simple, low-risk style. As he adapts to North America with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL, he provides the Blues with a cheaper but higher-upside replacement for Tucker's exact player type.
Trade deadline reality
The Blues organization has a plethora of left-side defensemen in development. These players will continue to push for spots in the NHL and create roster flexibility.
If Lindstein claims an NHL job out of camp and Koromyslov adapts quickly to the AHL, Tucker's expiring $925k contract can move itself into a low-cost trade chip. A cheap, physical left-shot defenseman is a type of player sought after throughout the season, especially from teams looking to bolster their blue line ahead of the postseason. Moving Tucker in Feb. would net future assets while opening a direct path for Koromyslov to earn his first NHL call-up. Tucker's identity as a blue-collar depth piece has served the Blues well, but with a player who possesses puck-moving skill and a young, 6-foot-5 player with KHL experience both waiting below him, his time in St. Louis appears to have an expiration date.
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