Blues GM says team won't sign other players until Tarasenko taken care of

Vladimir Tarasenko is the St. Louis Blues' top priority, and the team won't make moves to improve its roster until the club's leading scorer is locked up.

The Blues were eliminated in the first round of the postseason by the Minnesota Wild, which led to speculation about the future of head coach Ken Hitchcock and what the team will do to sharpen its lineup for next season.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was clear when he said nothing will happen until the 23-year-old Tarasenko is re-signed.

"We are not going to be active in signing other players until we get him taken care of," Armstrong told Jeremy P. Rutherford of the St.Louis Post Dispatch. "If it means allowing players to go to free agency, if it means making players sweat it out on what their deal’s going to be, he’s the priority for us.

"I’d like to partner with him, I’d like to partner with Mike (Liut, Tarasenko’s agent). If it happens in May, great. If it happens in June, great. If it happens in August, great. He’s the primary guy."

The Russian forward had a breakout season for St. Louis, scoring 37 goals and adding 36 assists in 77 games. He also recorded another seven points in six playoff games.