Tarasenko will be doing more than following Datsyuk on Wednesday, when the Blues and Red Wings play at Joe Louis Arena (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVA Sports, SN); he'll be trying to beat him.
The game marks the 11th time Tarasenko and Datsyuk have played against each other in the NHL, but just the sixth time in the past three seasons. St. Louis (27-15-7) and Detroit (23-14-8) were together in the Central Division during 2012-13, Tarasenko's rookie season, and faced each other five times. However, when Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference for the 2013-14 season, that number dropped to two games per season.
So when the 24-year-old Tarasenko, who leads the Blues with 25 goals and 46 points, gets the chance to face the 37-year-old Datsyuk, who is in his 14th NHL season and has 304 goals and 891 points, he relishes each opportunity.
"Always when I play against Russian guys, it's kind of like important games and interesting," said Tarasenko, who played against another Russian star, Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, on Monday. "We play Detroit twice now, and it's one of two chances to see how he plays, what his mind is."
How fired up does Tarasenko get when he's facing a fellow Russian? After Malkin scored late in the second period on Monday to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead, Tarasenko answered 1:18 later to tie the game and spark St. Louis to a 5-2 win.
"The battle of the Russians there," Blues center Paul Stastny said. "I think once Malkin had that nice goal, then Vladi got upset."
Tarasenko, who last summer signed the richest contract in Blues history (eight years, $60 million), was 5 years old in 1996, when Datsyuk's pro career began in Russia. But Tarasenko said it didn't take him long to understand the game and who Datsyuk was. "I think everybody knows in Russia he's one of the greatest players," Tarasenko said of Datsyuk. "His skill level is unbelievable. His mind is unbelievable."
The two were teammates for the first time at the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Sweden, but Tarasenko never suited up. It was a different story at the Sochi Olympics in 2014, when each played a key role for Russia.
"That was really a nice experience. We didn't do well, but it was good to play with him," Tarasenko said. "I was really happy to be with him in the same team a couple times. You can just look at him in practice and you can learn a lot. I realized how good he is when I practiced with him the first time. I was like, 'Oh, this is unbelievable.'"
Datsyuk, who helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008, is known more as a playmaker while Tarasenko is a shooter. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Tarasenko can "score from distance, which is unique in the League these days.
"His goals for us are so timely, whether it ties a game or puts us ahead. He tends to thrive in the moment and comes through at the biggest moment. It can't be understated," Hitchcock said.
Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters, whose team played Tarasenko and the Blues on Jan. 14, agreed, and even compared him to another Russian sharpshooter.
"He's a dynamic player. No different than other players around the league when you talk about [Alex] Ovechkin and those types of guys," Peters said. "You have got to spend time on them in your meeting. You have got to know what their strengths are. He's very dynamic and he's an explosive player. He's high-end with a heavy, heavy shot. It comes off his stick differently; it comes off quick. He's got a lot of pace to it, so yeah, he's a dangerous offensive weapon in all situations."
Tarasenko said Datsyuk has taught him how to be thankful and grateful to be able to play a game he loves.
"I think the most important part is he's really humble," Tarasenko said of Datsyuk. "He's really good with the young guys. He's one of the greatest players in the NHL right now. For me, I felt it was really important that he talked with me a lot. He gives young players a push."
