3 Potential Trade Destinations for Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko

St Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko was placed on the injured reserve on Monday as he'll miss at least four weeks with a hand injury. While the trade rumors will slow down for the next month, expect to hear things ramp up in a major way come the middle of February. Here's three teams who are expected to be in the mix for the Blues sniper:

Washington Capitals

The Caps have been linked to Tarasenko for years and it's in large part due to the amount of Russian players currently in Washington. The familiarity would make the transition seamless and it feels like if the Blues are going to move Tarasenko prior to the deadline, it's to an Eastern Conference team. The Capitals have several NHL ready prospects who could interest Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are looking for scoring wingers prior to the trade deadline, even with Evander Kane set to return at some point. The Oilers could move Jesse Puljujarvi in this deal to help off set some of the $7.5 million moving with Tarasenko's contract. St Louis sounds willing to retain some of his salary if it means the pot gets sweetened. Between Edmonton and Washington, the Caps are the favorite of the two.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils are a team to watch leading up to the March 3 trade deadline as their GM is ready to pounce. New Jersey will be in the market for scoring wingers and the 31-year-old Tarasenko has shown year after year, he's one of the best at putting up points from the wing. There could be a fit here between both teams as St Louis is in the market for NHL ready players and aren't interested in rebuilding, regardless of how many of their pending free agents they move.