When Tom Kurver’s Prospect Showcase finished on Sept. 15, the St. Louis Blues had the opportunity to see which one of their recently drafted prospects would show promise for the future. The one who made a big impression was goaltender Vadim Zherenko in the opening game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blues won the contest in overtime 4-3; however, Zherenko was stellar in the third period, making some great saves to push for overtime. Zherenko’s performance could be a stepping stone toward competition for the Blues’ backup position. Here’s a look at what makes Zherenko worth a preseason call-up to compete for a spot.
Zherenko’s Showcase Performance Could Reflect Positively
Against the Blackhawks, Zherenko finished with 26 saves on 29 shots for a .897 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.00 goals-against average (GAA). Despite those numbers, his third-period performance was terrific and should make him worth considering for a preseason start.
He is on the training camp roster and will compete with Blues tandem Jordan Binnington, Joel Hofer, and Will Craney, who also played in the prospect showcase. Colton Ellis and David Tendeck will also be involved in the training camp. However, Binnington and Hofer are the two that Zherenko will have to compete with for any chance at a roster spot.
This is not the first time the Blues had two of their best goalies face some competition from an up-and-coming goaltender like Zherenko. In 2012-13, goaltenders Brian Elliott, Jaroslav Halak, and Jake Allen all played 12 or more games, with Elliott playing the most at 24.
A season after that, in 2013-14, it was Elliott, Halak, and Ryan Miller all playing 19 or more games. However, Halak was traded to the Buffalo Sabres, which gave the Blues Miller in return. Then in 2021-22, the Blues had four goaltenders to choose from: Binnington, Ville Husso, Charlie Lindgren, and Hofer. Finally, with Hofer ready for action, they kept him in the mix with Binnington and Thomas Greiss, who made Blues history in his debut in the 2022-23 season.
With Zherenko, we could see a repeat of the goaltending situations we’ve witnessed in the last 10 or 11 seasons of Blues goaltending.
Zherenko’s Decent AHL Career Will Back up His Preseason Performance
Zherenko has played with the Blues’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Springfield Firebirds for two seasons. So far, he…
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