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The St. Louis Blues will be without defenseman Tyler Tucker in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets. Tucker is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game in Winnipeg.
Tucker was hurt late in the third period of the Blues’ 5–1 win in Game 4 on Sunday. With 4:17 remaining, he lost an edge and toe-picked while trying to check Jets forward Brandon Tanev in the defensive zone. He fell awkwardly, landing on both legs, and needed help getting off the ice. He appeared to favor his right leg and did not return to the game. Tucker also missed Tuesday’s practice.
The injury comes at an unfortunate time for the 24-year-old, who had just scored the eventual game-winning goal earlier in the game. His blast from the point broke a 1–1 tie and sparked a dominant stretch for St. Louis, which scored three unanswered goals to even the series at 2–2.
Tucker had a solid campaign during the regular season, appearing in 38 games. He recorded three goals, four assists, a plus-4 rating, and 55 penalty minutes. In the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, he has one goal and a plus-1 rating through three games. Known for his physical style of play and reliability on the blue line, Tucker’s absence will be felt as the series shifts back to Winnipeg.
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In his place, the Blues are expected to turn to veteran defenseman Ryan Suter. The 39-year-old brings a wealth of playoff experience and has played in over 1,400 NHL games. While not as physical as Tucker, Suter’s poise and hockey IQ could provide valuable stability on the back end.
“He is going back in. I've got to give him credit,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Suter. “I've got to say it was hard to do when you respect the player so much and what he's done in the League for years, and how much he's helped us this year. You make a decision and you live with it. We're getting our No. 1 penalty-killing defenseman back in.”
Game 5 is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Canada Life Centre. With the series tied, the matchup is shaping up to be a turning point. The Blues will look to build on their Game 4 momentum while adapting to the loss of one of their key defenders.
St. Louis knows it will take a full team effort to contain the Jets and grab a crucial road win, but the Blues have proven they can respond to adversity, and they’ll need to do it again without Tyler Tucker.
