Players had to appear in a minimum of 20 games or finish the regular season on the roster to be assessed (with the exception of Theo Lindstein, who was assigned to AHL Springfield for a playoff push).<\/p>\n
The grading is based on a curve that considers players\u2019 roles. This season, there are eight defensemen and two goalies, and they are listed alphabetically.<\/p>\n
DefensemenPhilip Broberg<\/p>\n
81 games, 6 goals, 34 points, plus-14<\/p>\n
Broberg took the next step \u2014 and more \u2014 in becoming a No. 1 defenseman for the Blues. He averaged the most ice time per game on the team (23:21) and despite the club\u2019s defensive woes at the start of the season, he was consistent from Game 1 to 82. Already a shutdown specialist, he added power-play duties to his responsibilities and shone.<\/p>\n
Grade: A+<\/p>\n
Justin Faulk<\/p>\n
61 games, 11 goals, 32 points, minus-3<\/p>\n
Few expected Faulk to have the season he was having before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in March. As late as January, the veteran was leading the team in goals<\/a>. His bounce-back season gave the Blues a valuable asset, which they flipped into a 2026 first-round pick. It is currently slotted at No. 15, pending the outcome of the NHL\u2019s draft lottery on May 5.<\/p>\n Grade: A<\/p>\n Cam Fowler<\/p>\n 82 games, 4 goals, 30 points, minus-11<\/p>\n In 2024-25, Fowler had nine goals and 36 points in 51 games after arriving from the Anaheim Ducks. It was a sneaky good trade, and, as a result, the Blues signed him to a three-year, $18.3 million deal ($6.1 million average annual value). But this season was a step back, and he was taken off the top pair and replaced on the power play. He started to find his game later in the season, but it was a little too late.<\/p>\n Grade: D+<\/p>\n Matthew Kessel<\/p>\n 29 games, 2 goals, 3 points, plus-1<\/p>\n With the addition of Logan Mailloux, Kessel became a depth defenseman and saw spot starts. At five-on-five, he was on the ice for more goals for (12) than against (11), but there were still mistakes in his own zone that prevented the Blues from playing him more.<\/p>\n Grade: C<\/p>\n Theo Lindstein<\/p>\n 17 games, 2 goals, 4 points, plus-6<\/p>\n As general manager Doug Armstrong marveled about Lindstein at the end of the season, not only did he step into the NHL and play well on defense at age 21, but he also did so in the top four. He got some guidance from veteran partner Colton Parayko, but for Lindstein to be plus-6 in 17 games and a minus player in only two of those games (minus-1 in both) was remarkable for a rookie.<\/p>\n Grade: A<\/p>\n Logan Mailloux<\/p>\n 67 games, 5 goals, 13 points, minus-10<\/p>\n There was a lot of pressure on Mailloux after his trade from the Montreal Canadiens. Having only eight NHL games under his belt, breaking in on a new team proved to be a challenge. But he gained confidence from a stint in AHL Springfield, and after the trade deadline, he played in the top pair with Broberg and logged 21:44 per game, showing great signs for the future.<\/p>\n Grade: B+<\/p>\n Colton Parayko<\/p>\n 77 games, 4 goals, 18 points, minus-6<\/p>\n Parayko wasn\u2019t a liability by any means, but he wasn\u2019t his steady self. He seemed indecisive early in the season, jumping up in the play less often and seeing his offense slip significantly from 2024-25. After a 16-goal, 36-point season, he finished with four and 18. The Blues tried to trade him<\/a> in March, but he invoked his no-trade clause.<\/p>\n Grade: D<\/p>\n Tyler Tucker<\/p>\n 69 games, 3 goals, 17 points, minus-4<\/p>\n It was evident that Tucker missed having veteran Ryan Suter at his side. Instead, Tucker opened the season with Mailloux as his partner, and that\u2019s a lot different than Suter, who extinguished problems before they happened. Tucker played a career-high 69 games and did have a career-high 14 assists but seemed to chase the play more than dictate it.<\/p>\n Grade: C-<\/p>\n Goalies \n Jordan Binnington finished with the worst goals saved above expected in the NHL. (Elsa \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Jordan Binnington<\/p>\n 41 games, 39 starts , 13-20-7, 3.33 GAA, .873 save percentage<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2248637942-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n