Vladimir Tarasenko drafted by St. Louis Blues (Photo © Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

With the 16th overall pick the St. Louis Blues picked during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Tarasenko was the second Russian player picked in the first round after Alexander Burmistrov, picked up by Atlanta with the 8th pick.

Tarasenko, 18, had two excellent seasons in the KHL. This year he scored 24 points with Sibir Novosibirsk.

Tarasenko has already announced that he’s going to spend the 10-11 season back home in Russia, but it looks like the Blues weren’t scared about this. Tarasenko is under contract until 2012.

Nikita Nikitin signs with St. Louis Blues (Photo © Ilya Korneev)

24 years old Nikita Nikitin has been signed to an entry level contract by the St. Louis Blues, as reported by the team’s official page.

Nikitin played his whole career with Avangard Omsk. Last season he scored four goals and 13 points in 43 regular season games. “His top feature is his excellent first pass. He can launch a forward one-on-one against the goalie directly from his own zone”, Russian reporter Ilya Elchaninov based in Omsk said to RussianHockeyFans.com. “He’s got a very strong shot, but he lacks accuracy.”

Nikitin played with team Russia one of the stages for the Euro Hockey Tour, even if he couldn’t score a single point in the three games he wore team Russia jersey. “He’s a fairly fast skating and is very good on the corners”, added Elchaninov. “The fact with him is that he’s inconsistent. He can play a great game and then a bad one the day after. Sometimes he makes some positioning mistakes. He needs to be well mentored by his coach. When Avangard’s coach was Sergei Gersonsky he was the best defenseman of the team, but when that coach stepped out, it was just not the same. He can play both defensive and offensive roles, even if he’s better as stay at home blue liner. Nikitin has a big potential, but he needs to be motivated.”

Nikitin has been signed by the Blues to a one year contract. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Jori Lehtera signs with Lokomotiv… and Blues? (Photo © mtv3.fi)

On the 31st of May the official Lokomotiv site announced signing for a two-year contract Jori Lehtera, the 22-year old forward from Finland, who lead this past season the SM-League in points.

Today, on the first of June the official site of the St. Lois Blues announced signing Lehtera to an Entry Level Contract.

“Jori had an excellent year this past season as he led the entire Finish League in points,” said Blues’ President John Davidson to NHL.com. “Our scouts are very high on him and expect him to be a solid NHL player in the future.”

This signing came just two weeks after the KHL and the NHL signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

According to a sports writer from Finland (@tomppaaax), the Blues signed him to maintain the rights and Lehtera will spend the next two years playing for Lokomotiv.

St. Louis Blues sign Evgeny Skachkov (Photo © Ilya Korneev)

As reported by Sport Express, Russian forward Evgeny Skachkov has been signed by the St. Louis Blues to an Entry Level Contract.

The 26 years old left winger had a breakout season in the KHL this year with Traktor Chelyabinsk as he scored 22 goals and 36 points in 51 regular season games. He was left pointless in the team’s short post season campaign. Actually this is the third season in which he is delivering for Traktor in spite of the team’s lack of success.

Skachkov is a quick left winger with very good technique and excellent skating. He skated with Team Russia in the WC preparation camp, but he didn’t make the team.

Nikolay Lemtyugov traded to Ak Bars Kazan (Photo © Hccska.ru)

St. Louis Blues‘ Russian prospect Nikolay Lemtyugov has been traded from Severstal Cherepovets to Ak Bars Kazan.

The former Peoria Rivermen’s player has been sent to Severstal for the quick winger Evgeny Ketov, who disappointed in Kazan after being brought there from Lada Togliatti.

Nikolay Lemtyugov scored this year nine goals and twenty-three points in 39 regular season matches, being -1 and gettin an average ice time of about fifteen minutes a game.

Just a week ago Ak Bars got Hannes Hyvonen from Dynamo Minsk.

Sergei Andronov traded to CSKA Moscow (Photo © RussianProspects.com)

20 years old Sergei Andronov has been traded from financially troubled Lada Togliatti to CSKA Moscow. Andronov, who has under his belt a golden medal from the U18 WJC and a silver medal from the U20 WJC, has been drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, with the 78th overall pick. This is what he declared to Komsomolskaya Pravda:

Andronov: “It’s sad to leave Togliatti, I spent here the last six years and here I became a pro. Unfortunately nowadays it looks like Lada’s management don’t care about the team. We don’t recieve a salary for three months, and they always promise that they are going to refund our debts. And thus I decided for myself, I don’t believe to promises anymore. I plan to sign a contract with CSKA Moscow, I’m very familiar with their head coach, Sergei Nemchinov, I played under him in the National Junior Team. In my new team I want to get more playing time.”

The same Nemchinov yesterday declared to Sovietskiy Sport:

Nemchinov: “Andronov is an excellent forward. I enjoyed working with him during last year’s World Junior Championships.”