Blues Add Barron, Bring Jiricek Back Up

St. Louis claimed defenseman Justin Barron off waivers on Sunday and recalled Adam Jiricek from Springfield, a pair of moves that reflect how thin the blue line has gotten heading into the season. Barron spent the past two seasons with Nashville and carries a cap hit of $1.575 million with one year remaining on his deal.

Jiricek's recall is the more interesting wrinkle. The 2024 first-round pick was sent to Springfield just two days earlier after a strong preseason — he was described as exceptional in the team's win over Chicago — so his turnaround to the NHL roster says something about the state of the depth chart above him. Tucker's knee, Carlo's uncertain timeline, and the general attrition of the past few weeks have moved the needle fast.

To make room, the Blues placed Calle Rosen and goaltender Georgii Romanov on waivers for assignment to Springfield. The roster is getting sorted in real time, and the defensive group that opens the season won't look much like the one management drew up in June.