St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that forward Vladimir Tarasenko underwent reconstructive surgery on his left shoulder this morning. The surgery was performed by Dr. Rick Wright, Dr. Matt Matava and Dr. Matt Smith at Washington University Orthopedic Center in Chesterfield. Tarasenko suffered the injury during the first period of the Blues’ final regular season game, in Colorado, last Saturday. He will be re-evaluated at Blues training camp in September.
Tarasenko, 26, dressed in 80 games this season, posting 66 points, including a team-leading 33 goals. 2017-18 marked Tarasenko’s fourth consecutive 30-goal season, making him the first Blue to accomplish that since Brett Hull. Overall, the 6’0, 225-pound forward has appeared in six NHL seasons since being drafted by the Blues in the first round (16th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. A native of Yaroslavl, Russia, Tarasenko has collected 350 points, including 178 goals and 172 assists, in 421 career regular season games. In Blues franchise history, he ranks eighth in goals, 15th in points, sixth in game-winning goals (30) and holds the outright lead in overtime goals (9).
