Unsure of what the future holds for him, Vladimir Tarasenko revealed Thursday that the National Hockey League All-Star game scheduled for this weekend in Florida could be his last in a St. Louis Blues uniform.
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The 31-year-old Russian is in his final season on an eight-year, $60 million contract. It was Doug Armstrong who granted him that pact, and the still-acting general manager seems in no hurry to agree with the attacker again.
“Yes, of course yes,” Tarasenko quipped when asked by The Athletic journalist Jeremy Rutherford if he had considered the possibility of never again representing the blues with the stars.
“Even ‘Vladi’ doesn’t know ‘Vladis’ future. There’s only one guy who knows more than me, and his name is Doug Armstrong. I think he’s the guy you should talk to about my future with the Blues.”
After a career-high 82 points in 75 games in 2021-22, Tarasenko has recorded just 10 goals and 29 points in 38 games so far this season.
The Blues are on track to miss the playoffs for the first time in five years and are eight points behind the Calgary Flames and the most recently drafted team in the West. A rebuilding process could therefore begin, forcing Armstrong to trade his star player until the close of trading.