Key Blues defenseman to miss Game 7 vs. Jets

The St. Louis Blues will be without defenseman Tyler Tucker for Sunday night’s decisive Game 7 clash against the Winnipeg Jets — a significant blow to a team counting on its blueline depth in a win-or-go-home matchup. 

The 25-year-old Tucker has emerged as a reliable presence on the back end this season, providing physicality, poise and key minutes that have helped stabilize the Blues defense.

In a career-high 38 games this season, Tucker recorded just seven points but showcased his strong defensive prowess by recording 81 hits and 39 blocked shots in that limited time. He added a goal and 12 hits in the first three games of the series before going down with a lower-body injury. If the Blues can advance, there is no public timeline on Tucker’s potential return outside of his "day-to-day" status.

Ryan Suter is expected to remain in Tucker’s place in the lineup Sunday night, skating alongside fellow veteran Nick Leddy. A veteran of over 1,500 career games, Suter produced two goals and 15 points in 82 games this season — maintaining his streak of four consecutive seasons without missing a game — but was a healthy scratch in Games 2 and 3 of the series. In the four games he has dressed for, Suter has one assist and a -1 rating while averaging 16:45 of ice time per game.

Addressing the decision to initially scratch Suter and then reinsert him following Tucker’s injury, Blues head coach Jim Montgomery praised the veteran’s professionalism, noting that the team will benefit from Suter’s penalty-killing ability and wealth of experience. 

The 40-year-old has logged 137 career playoff games, averaging an impressive 24:52 of ice time. While his days as a top-pairing workhorse are behind him, Suter’s veteran presence could prove invaluable in a high-stakes Game 7.