Tarasenko deserves to be mentioned among the NHL's elite
The list of players who've recorded more points that Vladimir Tarasenko this season ends at one: Connor McDavid.
A look at the NHL's points-per-game leaders bumps both McDavid (1.22) and Tarasenko (1.19) down a spot, with Sidney Crosby (1.38) having the advantage in that category.
But the fact Tarasenko ranks only slightly behind arguably the two best players in the game is not something that should be overlooked.
The numbers
With a goal and two assists in Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils, the St. Louis Blues winger improved his 2016-17 totals to 15 goals and 22 assists in 31 games.
That puts him on pace for 40 goals and 98 points, providing another bump in his yearly positive progression, as seen in his steady rise since breaking into the NHL in 2013.
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Points/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 38 | 8 | 11 | 0.50 |
| 2013-14 | 64 | 21 | 22 | 0.67 |
| 2014-15 | 77 | 37 | 36 | 0.95 |
| 2015-16 | 80 | 40 | 34 | 0.93 |
While Tarasenko's goal against the Devils was further evidence of his ability to score seemingly at will, what's separating him even further from the pack this season is the bump in assists.
A new wrinkle
That element of his game is something head coach Ken Hitchcock has seemed to know was there all along.
Hitch has always maintained Tarasenko is more than a shooter. Have to respect his passing ability. On full display tonight. #stlblues
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) December 16, 2016
Exhibit A in that argument came on this goal by Alex Pietrangelo:
Oh wow, that's a picture perfect pass by @tara9191. pic.twitter.com/x3tHXEXTWV
— NHL (@NHL) December 16, 2016
What's encouraging is his shot rate remains on par with last season, meaning his passing isn't taking away from opportunities to put the puck on net.
Tarasenko is in the second season of an eight-year, $60-million contract with the Blues, and the $7.5 million cap hit could look like an absolute bargain for the foreseeable future if he continues to play at this level.
Based on his track record, there's no reason to believe he won't.
As such, it's time to talk about him as one of the NHL's great superstars.