Vladimir Tarasenko might be back with the St. Louis Blues and scoring goals in the preseason, but his feelings about the franchise appear to remain the same. According to NHL Insider Frank Seravalli, Tarasenko didn’t change his mind about leaving and “still strongly desires a trade.”
Tarasenko asked the Blues to trade him back in the summer after becoming unhappy with how the franchise handled the shoulder surgeries that limited him to just 34 games in the past two seasons. This led St. Louis to leave the 29-year-old star exposed in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, but Seattle Kraken opted against taking him on.
The Blues don’t seem too opposed to letting Tarasenko leave but found that the market for him has been scarce. The teams are cautious due to the three-time All-Star’s health, while his large contract, which pays him $9.5 million in 2021-22 alone, also proved to be a hard sell.
So far, the best option for the two sides seems to have Tarasenko back on ice despite their differences. If he starts playing well and shows he’s healthy once again, other NHL teams might start making phone calls, and both the player and the Blues might get what they want.
Tarasenko played 531 games and contributed 442 points since joining the Blues in 2012. He also helped the franchise win a Stanley Cup in 2019.
