Latest Tarasenko trade update catches fans off guard

During the offseason, it was revealed that Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko had demanded a trade out of St. Louis. However, nothing took place, the Russian forward showed up at camp and was part of the Blues’ plans moving into the 2021-22 campaign.

Which was great for St. Louis seeing Tarasenko’s early-season success (seven goals and 16 points in 18 games). It even prompted fans to wonder if the veteran player would have a change of heart and decide to stay in St. Louis.

However, in his latest column on The Athletic, insider Jeremy Rutherford revealed what he “received from a source with knowledge of the situation was that Tarasenko was standing by the trade request he made last offseason.”

This surprised fans, not only because of Tarasenko’s success this season, but also before he apparently struck a friendship with newcomer Pavel Buchnevich. Rutherford wonders if Buchnevich and “other Russian teammates, might convince him to stick around.”

Chatter is back on the table when it comes to Tarasenko because, as Rutherford points out: “There were flags raised when Armstrong and Peter Chiarelli, the Blues’ new VP of hockey operations, were at the Philadelphia-Tampa Bay game on Nov. 18. That night, Dave Brown, who is Philadelphia’s head of pro scouting, was in St. Louis for the Blues-San Jose game. There’s no evidence that was connected in any way to Tarasenko, but the Flyers were on the list of teams to which he would approve a trade.”

While Tarasenko is thriving in St. Louis, it might all be to raise his trade value ahead of the deadline…