Tarasenko last night on SNH

[TAFKAP]

My favorite was the tying goal in Game 2. Him blowing past Marchand and netting his own rebound on the backhand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbZ_Wa926mk

[blackinkbiz]

But-but-but....!!!! There's just nooo WAAAAY the Blues could possibly have a better record when Tarasenko didn't play during his last few seasons. It HAS to be an anomaly. Not the beloved Vladdy!

Said it for years: one player can throw a line out of whack. One line out of whack can prevent the 4-lines from working in unison (such as the unison we're currently witnessing) and thus destroy team chemistry.

I don’t think you can compare that 91 to the current version

Oh I'll give him credit where due. He was great during the Cup run and had an unreal bounceback season after his injury. But outside that bounceback season, his last few years here were wildly disappointing.

Wonder if it had anything to do with the team docs forgetting to attach ligaments during surgery 2 that impacted his longevity.... his best weapon was always his shot can't rip it like he used too...

Can bag on him if you like but be honest about the situation.

I'm actually not bagging on him. I liked Vladdy. However, just as I want to scream half the time Justin Faulk touches the puck, I also cheered like crazy when he ripped that wrister into the corner today. Same with Vlad.

Drives me crazy when elite-level talent (like Vlad and Faulk possess) doesn't play up to it's potential.

Vlad was def guilty of that. And while I'd never call him fat, I saw him wearing shorts at Whole Foods a couple times and I've never seen larger legs on a human being.

Anyone remember Cards first-round pick Brett Wallace? Dude had hips the size of two human beings. Vlad's legs were so big you'd expect to see them on a frame like Brett Wallace. I mean his calfs had to be close to 12" wide.

Pictures on Google images just don't do them justice. lol

[netboy65]

My favorite was the tying goal in Game 2. Him blowing past Marchand and netting his own rebound on the backhand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbZ_Wa926mk

That goal was insane. Hockey’s version of a fadeaway jumper

[TheJackBurton]

For a number of years Vladi was our best player and one of the best goal scorers in the league, he was also one of the kindest most generous athletes in St. Louis at the time. The whole thing with Layla shows as much.

He signed a team friendly contract so that the Blues could build a team that could win the cup and played his (donkey) off night after night. He was regularly one of the most dangerous players on the ice in the league, and many people got out of their seats when he had the puck in the offensive zone as odds were good things were going to happen.

If the shoulder injuries don't happen odds are he retires a Blue and comes close to, if not owning just about every single Blues offensive record.

It really is a shame that things happened the way they did, that the relationship soured so badly, and that now he is just floundering going from team to team.

He however demanded to no longer wear the Blue Note so I don't care what he does any longer.

[aslord]

But-but-but....!!!! There's just nooo WAAAAY the Blues could possibly have a better record when Tarasenko didn't play during his last few seasons. It HAS to be an anomaly. Not the beloved Vladdy!

Said it for years: one player can throw a line out of whack. One line out of whack can prevent the 4-lines from working in unison (such as the unison we're currently witnessing) and thus destroy team chemistry.

I don’t think you can compare that 91 to the current version

Oh I'll give him credit where due. He was great during the Cup run and had an unreal bounceback season after his injury. But outside that bounceback season, his last few years here were wildly disappointing.

Wonder if it had anything to do with the team docs forgetting to attach ligaments during surgery 2 that impacted his longevity.... his best weapon was always his shot can't rip it like he used too...

Can bag on him if you like but be honest about the situation.

He was always out of shape. Can’t carry around 240 on 6” frame in the off-season and compete. He was ripped by many coaches for it. People projected the Semin trajectory well before his injury/surgeries. You could just tell he wouldn’t make it.

dumb comparison. The only thing similar is they both lost it in their 30's. Like every other player ever.

[danno]

I always thought Phil Kessel was a good comp for vladdy.
A little chubby, but somehow a fast skater with a lethal wrist shot.

[SRV1990]

For a number of years Vladi was our best player and one of the best goal scorers in the league, he was also one of the kindest most generous athletes in St. Louis at the time. The whole thing with Layla shows as much.

He signed a team friendly contract so that the Blues could build a team that could win the cup and played his (donkey) off night after night. He was regularly one of the most dangerous players on the ice in the league, and many people got out of their seats when he had the puck in the offensive zone as odds were good things were going to happen.

If the shoulder injuries don't happen odds are he retires a Blue and comes close to, if not owning just about every single Blues offensive record.

It really is a shame that things happened the way they did, that the relationship soured so badly, and that now he is just floundering going from team to team.

He however demanded to no longer wear the Blue Note so I don't care what he does any longer.

Excellent analysis, start to finish! Nice to see someone comment with facts about Vladi and not some mindless drivel due to their unhealthy agenda.

[theograce]

But-but-but....!!!! There's just nooo WAAAAY the Blues could possibly have a better record when Tarasenko didn't play during his last few seasons. It HAS to be an anomaly. Not the beloved Vladdy!

Said it for years: one player can throw a line out of whack. One line out of whack can prevent the 4-lines from working in unison (such as the unison we're currently witnessing) and thus destroy team chemistry.

I don’t think you can compare that 91 to the current version

Oh I'll give him credit where due. He was great during the Cup run and had an unreal bounceback season after his injury. But outside that bounceback season, his last few years here were wildly disappointing.

Wonder if it had anything to do with the team docs forgetting to attach ligaments during surgery 2 that impacted his longevity.... his best weapon was always his shot can't rip it like he used too...

Can bag on him if you like but be honest about the situation.

He was always out of shape. Can’t carry around 240 on 6” frame in the off-season and compete. He was ripped by many coaches for it. People projected the Semin trajectory well before his injury/surgeries. You could just tell he wouldn’t make it.

dumb comparison. The only thing similar is they both lost it in their 30's. Like every other player ever.

Every other player starts to go downhill at 30? Yup dumb alright

[aslord]

But-but-but....!!!! There's just nooo WAAAAY the Blues could possibly have a better record when Tarasenko didn't play during his last few seasons. It HAS to be an anomaly. Not the beloved Vladdy!

Said it for years: one player can throw a line out of whack. One line out of whack can prevent the 4-lines from working in unison (such as the unison we're currently witnessing) and thus destroy team chemistry.

I don’t think you can compare that 91 to the current version

Oh I'll give him credit where due. He was great during the Cup run and had an unreal bounceback season after his injury. But outside that bounceback season, his last few years here were wildly disappointing.

Wonder if it had anything to do with the team docs forgetting to attach ligaments during surgery 2 that impacted his longevity.... his best weapon was always his shot can't rip it like he used too...

Can bag on him if you like but be honest about the situation.

He was always out of shape. Can’t carry around 240 on 6” frame in the off-season and compete. He was ripped by many coaches for it. People projected the Semin trajectory well before his injury/surgeries. You could just tell he wouldn’t make it.

dumb comparison. The only thing similar is they both lost it in their 30's. Like every other player ever.

Every other player starts to go downhill at 30? Yup dumb alright

I believe I said 30's, not 30. Fine attempt to control the message though. If 2 Stanley Cups is not making it, I guarantee there's a long line of guys behind him who would love to not make it. Chances are his career is over after next season, and that's ok. He was never expected to be Alex Ovechkin, but he absolutely outperformed Alex Semin.

[somni]

For a number of years Vladi was our best player and one of the best goal scorers in the league, he was also one of the kindest most generous athletes in St. Louis at the time. The whole thing with Layla shows as much.

He signed a team friendly contract so that the Blues could build a team that could win the cup and played his (donkey) off night after night. He was regularly one of the most dangerous players on the ice in the league, and many people got out of their seats when he had the puck in the offensive zone as odds were good things were going to happen.

If the shoulder injuries don't happen odds are he retires a Blue and comes close to, if not owning just about every single Blues offensive record.

It really is a shame that things happened the way they did, that the relationship soured so badly, and that now he is just floundering going from team to team.

He however demanded to no longer wear the Blue Note so I don't care what he does any longer.

Excellent analysis, start to finish! Nice to see someone comment with facts about Vladi and not some mindless drivel due to their unhealthy agenda.

Agree, good summary Jack.

[theograce]

But-but-but....!!!! There's just nooo WAAAAY the Blues could possibly have a better record when Tarasenko didn't play during his last few seasons. It HAS to be an anomaly. Not the beloved Vladdy!

Said it for years: one player can throw a line out of whack. One line out of whack can prevent the 4-lines from working in unison (such as the unison we're currently witnessing) and thus destroy team chemistry.

I don’t think you can compare that 91 to the current version

Oh I'll give him credit where due. He was great during the Cup run and had an unreal bounceback season after his injury. But outside that bounceback season, his last few years here were wildly disappointing.

Wonder if it had anything to do with the team docs forgetting to attach ligaments during surgery 2 that impacted his longevity.... his best weapon was always his shot can't rip it like he used too...

Can bag on him if you like but be honest about the situation.

He was always out of shape. Can’t carry around 240 on 6” frame in the off-season and compete. He was ripped by many coaches for it. People projected the Semin trajectory well before his injury/surgeries. You could just tell he wouldn’t make it.

dumb comparison. The only thing similar is they both lost it in their 30's. Like every other player ever.

Every other player starts to go downhill at 30? Yup dumb alright

I believe I said 30's, not 30. Fine attempt to control the message though. If 2 Stanley Cups is not making it, I guarantee there's a long line of guys behind him who would love to not make it. Chances are his career is over after next season, and that's ok. He was never expected to be Alex Ovechkin, but he absolutely outperformed Alex Semin.

And he’s been deteriorating even before 30 imo. And he’s about par with semin in terms of the deterioration. Semin was much more dynamic. They both fell apart at around the same age yup.

If you disagree/don’t see it…that’s ok

[Hooking]

He has kind of turned into a head-case since he left the Blues and it came out he was upset he didn't get Captain (after Pie left) and says the Blues medical staff messed up his shoulder (before 2019 which doesn't make any sense).

He has lived off of his reputation since then and has never lived up to it. Tagged along for another cup last season by just showing up.


Very sad.

[DoneLurking]

He was always out of shape. Can’t carry around 240 on 6” frame in the off-season and compete. He was ripped by many coaches for it. People projected the Semin trajectory well before his injury/surgeries. You could just tell he wouldn’t make it.

818 games and counting. 300+ goals
Career average of 30 goals and 66 points per year.
Two Stanley Cups
4 All Star Games
Played in the Olympics
Made more than $73 million.

Yeah. Vladi didn't make it.

[Sweet Jones]

For a number of years Vladi was our best player and one of the best goal scorers in the league, he was also one of the kindest most generous athletes in St. Louis at the time. The whole thing with Layla shows as much.

He signed a team friendly contract so that the Blues could build a team that could win the cup and played his (donkey) off night after night. He was regularly one of the most dangerous players on the ice in the league, and many people got out of their seats when he had the puck in the offensive zone as odds were good things were going to happen.

If the shoulder injuries don't happen odds are he retires a Blue and comes close to, if not owning just about every single Blues offensive record.

It really is a shame that things happened the way they did, that the relationship soured so badly, and that now he is just floundering going from team to team.

He however demanded to no longer wear the Blue Note so I don't care what he does any longer.

This.

[Blue Sabbath]

For a number of years Vladi was our best player and one of the best goal scorers in the league, he was also one of the kindest most generous athletes in St. Louis at the time. The whole thing with Layla shows as much.

He signed a team friendly contract so that the Blues could build a team that could win the cup and played his (donkey) off night after night. He was regularly one of the most dangerous players on the ice in the league, and many people got out of their seats when he had the puck in the offensive zone as odds were good things were going to happen.

If the shoulder injuries don't happen odds are he retires a Blue and comes close to, if not owning just about every single Blues offensive record.

It really is a shame that things happened the way they did, that the relationship soured so badly, and that now he is just floundering going from team to team.

He however demanded to no longer wear the Blue Note so I don't care what he does any longer.

Excellent analysis, start to finish! Nice to see someone comment with facts about Vladi and not some mindless drivel due to their unhealthy agenda.

Agree, good summary Jack.

Indeed. Thanks, Jack

[Blue Sabbath]

He has kind of turned into a head-case since he left the Blues and it came out he was upset he didn't get Captain (after Pie left) and says the Blues medical staff messed up his shoulder (before 2019 which doesn't make any sense).

He has lived off of his reputation since then and has never lived up to it. Tagged along for another cup last season by just showing up.


Very sad.

It's a matter of record that the Blues surgeon(s) of choice overlooked an issue with his shoulder twice.