Fansided

Every NHL team’s best active player still searching for a Stanley Cup win

By Kyle McKenna

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks spots the puck in front of the net of the New York Rangers during a NHL game at the SAP Center at San Jose on March 19, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Nick Lust/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks spots the puck in front of the net of the New York Rangers during a NHL game at the SAP Center at San Jose on March 19, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Nick Lust/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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St. Louis Blues

Similar to the San Jose Sharks, the St. Louis Blues have been snake bitten and find themselves cursed from winning their first ever Stanley Cup. The Sharks even took down the Blues during the 2016 Western Conference Finals.

The Blues have a rich history of all-time greats that have donned a St. Louis sweater, but the team’s current and best skater that still searching for a Stanley Cup is Vladimir Tarasenko.

Tarasenko, soon to be 27-years-old, has transformed into one of the game’s most electrifying players and purest goal-scorers. The Russian., native has netted 30 or more goals in each of the last four seasons, and in 2015-16 Tarasenko scored a career-high 40 goals.

The 6-foot-0 skater has netted 178 career goals and tallied 172 assists for 350 points in 421 games. Additionally, the left-handed shooter has collected 43 power-play goals since joining the Blues back in 2012-13.

The dynamic playmaker has produced in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the years, too. Tarasenko has recorded 32 career points (22 goals, 10 assists) in 44 playoff games.

Tarasenko is clearly in his prime playing years and has five more seasons left on his contract that’s worth $7.5-million, per year. There’s no doubting that the Blues will be Cup contenders for that tenure, but the big question will be if Tarasenko can lead them to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1970.

It will also be interesting to see if Tarasenko would ask for a trade if the Blues fail to at least appear in the Final over the course of the next three seasons.

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