Wednesday, July 20, 2011

TARASOV RETURNS

Press Release

The top three scorers in the USHL all wore the Yeti on the front of their sweaters last season. Blake Coleman, Brian Ferlin and Daniil Tarasov’s scoring spree accounted for more than a third of the team’s goals, assists and points last season. But with Coleman and Ferlin bolting to college and Tarasov’s absence from the Ice’s Main Camp in June, the question became: who will put the puck in the net for the Ice?

Answer? Daniil Tarasov.

Last season’s league leader in goals is back in Indianapolis. After spending half of the offseason in Moscow, Tarasov returned to the “Circle City,” as he hopes to get bigger and stronger for next season.

“It’s the first time I’ve used a personal trainer,” Tarasov said. “He works with college and NHL players and it’s really helped already.”

The forward, listed last season at 6 foot, 180 pounds, is going to need that added strength and power if he wants to achieve the goals he has set. The USHL’s number two point getter last season has some lofty aspirations for his sophomore season and beyond.

“My goals are to lead the team in points, have my team and coach’s count on me to produce again this year and hopefully a long run in the playoffs,” he said.

While it will take the course of the season to see if Tarasov can even duplicate last year’s numbers, much less double them, he won’t have to wait long to get a taste of the pros. In September, he is heading to Pittsburgh for the Penguins’ developmental camp. There he will compete in scrimmages against the top young players in the Penguins’ system and work with the team’s coaches and trainers. It will be his first professional camp and his first opportunity to show the pros what he can do against tougher competition. On top of all of that, it’s still a learning process.

“I’ll be able to be around a lot of professional players there and learn from them,” he said. “I look forward to gaining that experience and bringing it back to Indy.”

Tarasov’s return brings a proven goal scorer back to the fold. And although Daniil hopes to double his output, Ice fans would be perfectly content with a season similar to his record breaking year.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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