The Russian NHL star is eager to change clubs. Is the main transfer of the off-season still ahead?

The Russian striker of “St. Louis” Vladimir Tarasenko, despite the best season in his overseas career, is still set to exchange. He did not change his intention to leave the Blues.

Therefore, the loudest transfer of the off-season may well take place …

Crisis Tarasenko

More recently, it seemed that Tarasenko’s career across the ocean was heading towards sunset. The last time before this season, he spent almost all the regular season matches on the ice in 2018/19. Then problems with his shoulder began to bother him, the forward underwent three operations one after another and began the recovery process. At that moment, the captain’s position was vacated in St. Louis, and the candidacy of the Russian, who had been playing for the Blues since 2012, looked the most logical.

However, the fact that Tarasenko spent more time in the doctor’s office than on the ice did not play in his favor, and the “C” stripe went to Ryan O’Reilly. It is logical that the Russian felt underestimated. This was superimposed and a long return to the usual conditions. The forward did not play as much and cool as the fans and the player himself are used to. After finishing the 2020/21 season with just 24 matches played, Tarasenko notified St. Louis of his desire to change clubs.

Rise and record

But it didn’t work out anywhere: the unintelligible game in recent years and the “fat” contract with a salary of 7.5 million per season affected.

Resigned to this, Tarasenko spent the season in St. Louis. And how he did it! The Russian shoulder ceased to bother, and he plunged headlong into his favorite business. The result was not long in coming: last season was the best in 10 years in the NHL, he scored 82 (34 + 48) points, scored a hat-trick for the first time in his career and scored an assistant double in one match, and made a decisive contribution to the release of the “bluesmen” in playoffs.

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It is not surprising that the St. Louis fans, seeing how the Russian Tank rolled over the opponents, did not hold a grudge against him for wanting to change the team. They chanted Tarasenko’s name, expressing their support for him. Talk about changing the club came to naught.

Exchange issue not resolved

Although last season went on a positive note, the desire to leave Missouri did not disappear from the Russian striker. Hockey insiders from North America reported that this summer Tarasenko did not withdraw his request for a trade. Therefore, the transfer is still possible and much more real than a year ago.

A productive season in which the Russian played a leading role in St. Louis made him much more desirable for many clubs. Yes, and a salary of 7.5 million fully justifies his performance. Given the growth in the size of contracts, which for top scorers exceed 10 million a year, Tarasenko’s agreement may even seem quite economical to some.

The Blues are interested in a trade

For example, the Islanders. They’ve already missed Johnny Gaudreau this offseason, who left unexpectedly for Columbus, and have yet to sign Colorado’s Nazem Kadri. Each of them could make up for the lack of stars in the Islanders. But Tarasenko is also able to cope with this task with a bang. According to rumors, the club from New York claimed Tarasenko a year ago. Maybe he is working on a possible transfer this summer.

It is curious that not only the hockey player is interested in the exchange, but also St. Louis itself, which, perhaps, does not show it. Tarasenko’s eight-year agreement with the club expires in a year, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent and easily find himself a new team. So why would the Blues lose money? If a player doesn’t want to stay in Missouri, the logical thing to do now is to work hard on his possible trade to get something in return while it’s still possible. The requests from the club, according to rumors, are not the most modest, but fair: in exchange for Tarasenko, they want to get a hockey player of the first or second link.

It turns out that the main off-season transfer to the NHL for Russia has not yet taken place, but it may well happen, especially if St. Louis itself actively works in this direction.