Will St. Louis Blues fans see more of Tyler Tucker in '24-'25?
The St. Louis Blues need help on defense. This begs the question, will younger players like Tyler Tucker get more opportunities to play in the upcoming season?
Tyler Tucker, a seventh-round draft pick in 2018, has battled his way to see NHL action.
Fans should take a step back and realize it's an impressive feat for a player selected 200th overall to enter NHL play. Perhaps we take that for granted.
Tucker, who is only 24 years old, has got to be pleased with his performance to date and even more eager to capitalize on further opportunities.
He's played in two partial seasons with the St. Louis Blues:
Has he performed well enough to earn more playing time? With his current stats, probably not. But when training camp starts, he can prove himself.
Questions still remain about who will depart and who will enter the 2024-25 roster. Will Marco Scandella leave? Will a trade occur?
If either were to happen, this would leave Tucker an opportunity to enter the discussion. We do know Scott Perunovich is returning, which is competition for Tucker, but a departure of Scandella might lead to a more substantial chance for Tucker to see further gameplay.
Tucker's performance in the AHL the past two seasons is notable, particularly in 2022-23:
2022-23: 41 games, 3 goals, 18 assists, 21 points.
"Tyler Tucker earned a spot with the Blues out of camp, but injuries have predominantly kept the defenseman out of the lineup for a good portion of the season," wrote Todd Matthews.
Matthews hit the nail on the head. Tucker's injuries are a big issue, especially since he's only 24.
If he can stay healthy, Blues fans might see a Tucker they aren't familiar with.
At 6'1" and 204 lbs, he's a good size, and his 2022-23 numbers in Springfield show he has talent.
Tucker is a wild card, primarily due to his nagging injuries.
Don't be entirely surprised if the likes of Scandella walk, with an opportunity for Tucker to fill in some gaps.
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