Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Tarasenko Understands More Work Needed

08/26/2013 at 6:11am EDT

from RIA NOVOSTI,

Russian hockey forward Vladimir Tarasenko offered a restrained evaluation of his rookie NHL season with St. Louis Blues Monday, telling R-Sport the campaign was “good, but average.”

In the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, he scored eight goals and 11 assists in 38 appearances, earning Rookie of the Month honors in January after leading all rookies with nine points. But Tarasenko missed 10 games after suffering concussion on February 20 and netted only two goals the rest of the season after returning to action on March 16.

Speaking in Sochi after Russia’s two-day Olympic national team orientation camp, Tarasenko said his numbers were partly a result of the injury and a questionable work ethic and attitude last season on the road to recovery. He vowed to improve.

“I’ll try to do better this season. My self-requirements have increased,” he said. “Because of my youth I didn’t really know how to condition myself and how to prioritize. Now I’ve got an understanding after talking to guys like [former New Jersey Devils star] Ilya Kovalchuk that you have to take care of yourself and prepare hard.”

a bit more...

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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