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St. Louis Blues: Top 5 takeaways from the 2019-20 season so far

By Mary Clarke

DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 21: Jaden Schwartz #17 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates with Ryan O'Reilly #90 of the St. Louis Blues and Brayden Schenn #10 of the St. Louis Blues after scoring against the Dallas Stars in the second period at American Airlines Center on February 21, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 21: Jaden Schwartz #17 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates with Ryan O'Reilly #90 of the St. Louis Blues and Brayden Schenn #10 of the St. Louis Blues after scoring against the Dallas Stars in the second period at American Airlines Center on February 21, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 27: Vladimir Tarasenko #91 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates his second period goal against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on May 27, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 27: Vladimir Tarasenko #91 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates his second period goal against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on May 27, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

1. The team can do just fine without Vladimir Tarasenko

The Blues received a hefty blow to their Stanley Cup hopes early on in the 2019-20 season. At the end of October, the team announced that forward Vladimir Tarasenko would be out of the Blues lineup for at least five months due to a shoulder injury, with a potential return timeline getting him back onto the ice just before the playoffs.

Though the season pause has changed things in terms of Tarasenko’s injury timetable, in his absence, the Blues did not lose a step. In fact, the team rallied around the loss of Tarasenko and found ways to win without him.

The depth players — such as Robert Thomas and Zach Sanford — have been major surprises and have taken great strides this season to help out, which the team needed in order to survive. At the top, the stars such as Ryan O’Reilly, David Perron, Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz have all pulled their weight and then some this year in Tarasenko’s absence.

Instead of faltering and stumbling out of the gate without their best player, the Blues continued to be one of the NHL’s best teams all season long. Tarasenko was a major factor in the Blues’ Stanley Cup run last year (68 points and 33 goals in 76 games played, plus 17 points in 26 playoff games) but the team has found a way to win without him.

And, should the season continue later this year, St. Louis will likely get Tarasenko back for a playoff run, making the team that much scarier in their quest to repeat for a Stanley Cup.

Next. 5 NHL players that have made this season memorable. dark

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