Perhaps the worst thing that could have happened to St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker is getting hurt at this point in training camp.
Tucker, a depth defenseman at his best, is already on the bubble. An injury could leave him on the outside looking in.
The 26-year-old evidently sustained a knee injury during drills on Sunday, causing him to miss action on Monday night. That situation prompted coach Jim Montgomery to offer a bit of a noncommittal update before Monday night’s 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.”"Blues head coach Jim Montgomery
And if Tucker can’t go, it’s likely we'll see Adam Jiricek get a serious shot at making the team out of camp.
The Czech blueliner has the Blues’ first-round pick (16th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. There has been so much talk about him this offseason that it seems the organization is ready to give him a serious chance to show what he can do at the NHL level.
Now, it’s worth pointing out that Jiricek is earmarked for the AHL this season. Last year, he played 55 games with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, scoring 19 goals and 59 points. That’s not bad, but it’s not exactly a guarantee that his numbers will automatically translate to the NHL.
That said, Tucker’s injury could facilitate the decision for the Blues, allowing them to give Jiricek at least a good long look before deciding to keep him on the NHL roster, or figuring out what to do.
Tucker should still hang around the Blues, just in case
Now, Blues fans shouldn’t believe that they’ve seen the last of Tyler Tucker even if Jiricek sticks with the club.
Tucker is a very good seventh or eighth defenseman, depending on the situation. He’s also got over 15o games of NHL experience. So, that’s something the organization can’t overlook.
Plus, at 6’2” and 205 pounds, Tucker does bring size and punch to the lineup. While he won’t light up the scoresheet, he’s the sort of guy that teams like to have around in a depth role.
That’s why there’s certainly plenty of reason to think that Tucker will remain in the team’s plans moving forward. The difference will be in the role that he plays.
And that’s the main issue here.
Even if Jiricek makes the team, the 20-year-old is not quite a sure thing. Tucker is. The Blues know what they have in him. And while he may hit waivers when the team’s roster whittles down this week, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll clear. That’s good, and it hopefully creates a much deeper blueline as the Blues look to keep pace in the Central Division.
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