ST. LOUIS -- Sure, the talk will be the overtime game-winner Jakub Vrana scored when the Blues nearly coughing up a three-goal lead before recovering for a 6-5 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Enterprise Center.
It was a beauty of a goal, one in which he pulled off a give-and-go with Brayden Schenn before beating Thatcher Demko from in tight for his second goal of the game, ninth of the season and eighth in 12 games since being acquired by the Blues from the Detroit Red Wings on March 3.
But the goal that really stood out was Vrana's first goal, one that gave the Blues -- at the time -- a 3-2 lead at 7:24 of the second period, a one-timer from the high slot off a pass from Brandon Saad.
What it exemplifies is that the Blues may have found their shooter, their first pure shooter since trading Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers on Feb. 9.
Tarasenko has been the Blues' biggest threat with the puck on his stick. Former coach Ken Hitchcock used to classify Tarasenko as one of those players that has the ability to score from distance, an on-ice trait very few players had.
The Blues know all about having pure shooters as part of their franchise, and the most heralded shooter they've ever had was Brett Hull, and when Tarasenko came along, he was their present version of Hull.
But when the Blues traded pending unrestricted free agent Tarasenko, who had adked in the past to be traded, they were trading away their lone pure shooter. What would it take to get another one, their next guy that when the puck came off his stick, the puck at any point in time could wind up in the net.
Could the 27-year-old Vrana be that guy? Someone that just happened to fall into their laps?
It very well could be.
The one thing, if you've watched Vrana closely, is that not only does he exhibit deceptive speed and good touch with the puck, but his ability and willingness to receive the puck and get it off his stick with lightning-quick precision has thus far been impressive.
Watch after Brandon Saad intercepted this pass, feeding Vrana on the backhand how quickly the puck is off the left-handed forward's stick from the high slot. He doesn't give the goalie a chance to see it, nor does he allow Thatcher Demko to get set.
"He’s obviously a goal-scorer, likes to get it off quick," Saad said. "He knows how to score goals. He’s been fun to play with. I think feeding him the puck, getting around the net, if it doesn’t go in, you’re going to have a rebound."
It's not the first time Vrana, who doesn't like to dust of the puck as often as Tarasenko has done, grabs the puck and lets it go quicker than when he gets it.
There's no hesitation, there's no second-thinking.
"It depends," Vrana said. "It depends how the play looks. It’s nice to get the shot off quick, potentially surprise the goalie or something."
And that's the thought process. Ask Alex Ovechkin, Vrana's former teammate in Washington, when he unleashes that one-timer from the left circle. Ask Steven Stamkos, who like Ovechkin tees up his one-timer with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Nobody said Vrana has powerful shots like these guys, but he does have a precise shot, and if he's hitting the net, like he did four times again on Tuesday, giving him three or more shots on eight of his 12 games with the Blues, they may have just found their new Tarasenko.
"He's got skill, and he's got speed," Blues coach Craig Berube said of Vrana. "He's still working his way in, but he's doing a good job and he's getting better as he goes along.
"He played really well (Tuesday). He had a lot of jump, scored a goal, had some other opportunities. It's a good situation for him to be in the 3-on-3."
And deservedly so.
"That’s nice," Vrana said. "I appreciate that obviously. That’s opportunity, and obviously you’re going to grab it. I’m happy it ended up like that."
If Vrana can find that scoring form he had in 2018-19 (24 goals) and 2019-20 (25 goals), the Blues may have themselves a scoring bargain at $2.625 million for next season after Detroit picked up 50 percent of his salary for 2023-24.
"Yeah, it seems like he gets it off quick and goal-scorers just know how to put it in the back of the net," Blues center Robert Thomas said of Vrana. "He seems to know how to do that.
"His speed (is impressive) and he seems to find open space and put it in the back of the net. He’s a goal-scorer and he’s been scoring lately."