Vladimir Tarasenko talks the upcoming season, ping pong with NHL Tonight

I’m assuming that you’re either watching the Traverse City game against the Blue Jackets this afternoon, or you’re cursing the NHL.com out of market blackout. If you’re doing the latter, and you want some Blues hockey to tide you over, Vladimir Tarasenko was on NHL Tonight to discuss the upcoming season and, uh, his ping pong game against Jeremy Roenick?

The NHL Media Tour is a weird thing, man.

Believe it or not, they spend longer talking about his ping pong game (“I’d rather chill in the locker room when I play hockey”) and his trip in a F1 car than they do about the upcoming season.

Tarasenko discusses working on his speed, his admiration for Alexander Steen as a leader on the Blues, and how paranoid he was about getting injured before the Winter Classic.

It’s ok, Vladdy. The season’s almost here and the media tour’s almost over. You’re a trooper.