ST. LOUIS — As if the Blues getting bounced from the first round of the playoffs in 2020 wasn't enough bad news, some more came on Wednesday in the form of an injury update regarding one of their star players.
The team announced forward Vladimir Tarasenko would require another surgery on his injured shoulder, and would be reevaluated in five months.
Tarasenko missed nearly the entire 2019-2020 regular season with a shoulder injury, and only returned for a few games in the playoff bubble in Edmonton before being injured again.
With another significant setback like this, speculation about Tarasenko's future on the ice has been a large topic of discussion. The 28-year-old Russian star took to social media to set the record straight.
"Last few months I felt like something wrong, but still trying to play. Then we found out what it is when I get back home from the bubble. To take some speculations away, no I'm not done, career is not done," Tarasenko wrote on Instagram. "There was a problem which being found finally, so I'm more motivated than ever to finally get healthy and play."
Tarasenko also went on to say thank you to the City of St. Louis and Blues fans who have been encouraging him as he tries to get back on the ice consistently. He also addressed some of those who have been "sending bad messages" to him and his family as he battles the injury.
Tarasenko was taken by the Blues in the first round of the 2010 NHL Draft, and has scored 214 goals in 507 career regular season games with St. Louis. He was an integral part in the team's run to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2019.