Vladimir Tarasenko had requested a trade from the Blues nearly two years ago, and on Thursday, that request was finally fulfilled.
It was also worth the wait, as Tarasenko lands with Artemi Panarin, one of his closes friends, in New York with the Rangers.
“There was a chance of me staying in St. Louis and no deal was offered, so I knew I was gonna move somewhere,” Tarasenko said. “I talked with Artemi, and he wanted me here. I wanted to be here too.
“I talked a little before with Artemi. I’m happy to join the New York Rangers and see some friends of mine. The group of guys seems very nice, they gave me a warm welcome. I feel really good.”
Tarasenko hinted that it was a difficult process to move on from the only franchise he knew since being drafted in 2010, but after winning a Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019, he believes his new team has the pieces to help him raise the Cup once again.
“I was expecting it,” Tarasenko said of the trade. “It’s been a couple tough days for me, I don’t really want to discuss with everyone now, but I expected to be moved, I’m here now, and I’m happy.
“It's a big team. One of my best friends plays here. It's a chance to win a Cup again.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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