from Vladimir Tarasenko at The Players' Tribune,

I want to tell you story. But I will get something off my chest first.

I get upset when I can’t score. I want to score … I am supposed to score. This, for me, is my job. In playoffs, I didn’t score enough. I am sorry to St. Louis. I feel like I didn’t do as much as I should. I know we had World Cup in September, new coach, players injured — but are there excuses?

No. Excuses … it’s for loser. And I am not loser. I am winner.

I want us to win more than ever. I will get back to this. But now, story.

It’s about my first game of hockey. Not with St. Louis Blues — my first game of hockey ever.

In the story, it’s 1999. I am seven. We have this tournament, back home in Russia, during school breaks — fall, winter and spring. First one I play in is fall. I am ready.

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