ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) — Blues GM Doug Armstrong announced Saturday the club has agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with forward Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko, who was drafted by the Blues in the first round (16th overall) of the 2010 Entry Draft, is ranked by Hockey’sfuture.com as the world’s top prospect outside of the NHL.

Tarasenko, 20, appeared 39 games with Novosibirsk Siber of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and led the club with 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists) before being traded and posting nine points (five goals, four assists) in 15 games with St. Petersburg SKA in 2011-12. Overall, the 6’0, 202-pound forward has spent the past four seasons in the KHL recording 100 points including 52 goals and 48 assists in 176 games.

In international play, Tarasenko has represented Russia three times including serving as the team’s captain at both the 2011 World Championships and World Junior Championships. At the World Juniors, the Yaroslavl, Russia native ranked second overall with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in seven games including scoring the game-tying goal and assisting on the game-winning goal in Russia’s victory over Canada in the Gold Medal game. Overall, Tarasenko has made 19 international appearances totaling 17 points including nine goals and eight assists.

Doug Armstrong joined Brian Kelly and Maria Keena on TIAM Weekend to discuss the exciting agreement.

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