Vladimir Tarasenko made it clear that he wanted to move on from the St. Louis Blues. The two-time all-star requested a trade this off-season, but the Blues have not accommodated his request. Blues general manager, Doug Armstrong, doubled down on his team’s stance, expressing that the Blues expect Tarasenko to be on their opening day roster for the start of the upcoming NHL season.
Injuries have impacted Tarasenko’s playing time over the past two seasons. In total, the Russian has played just 34 games, registering seven goals and 24 points. Tarasenko is still in prime hockey years, tallying 356 points from the start of the 2014-15 season to the end of the 2018-19 season, culminating with a Stanley Cup victory over the Boston Bruins.