St. Louis Blues: Five Things Blues Fans Can Be Thankful For
By Todd Panula
2. Vladimir Tarasenko
The St. Louis Blues have not had as much luck as other teams when it comes to having superstar after superstar. So, when they do have one it makes it all the more special.
The Blues always have good players, but it has not been since Brett Hull that they’ve had someone you could count on to be a true scorer. Vladimir Tarasnenko is that superstar that the team can count on for scoring.
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Through 22 games, Tarasenko leads the team in goals again with 12. That number doesn’t sound overly impressive, but with the way the top line has spread out their scoring, for Tarasenko to still be at the top is pretty impressive. As of writing this, he’s only five goals behind the NHL leader too.
Beyond just his scoring ability, Tarasenko continues to be a playmayker too. He has 14 assists to go along with his goals. If he kept pace, he’d set a new career high for helpers.
Also, he’s gotten much braver. He always had the talent, but he would seem somewhat timid or get frustrated with the physical part of the game.
Now, he’s gotten himself into the mindset that it’s ok to step up for yourself or your teammates. Tarasenko got the second Gordie Howe hat-trick of his career when he picked up a fight against Edmonton. It wasn’t just a tug of war either, he landed some solid punches.
You don’t want your stars risking their health like that, but you love the fact that he was willing to stick up for what he saw as a dirty hit on a teammate. Tarasenko fits in perfectly with the city of St. Louis and we should all be grateful he’s here.