St. Louis /seɪnt ˈluːɪs/ (French: Saint-Louis or St-Louis, [sɛ̃ lwi] ( listen)) is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States, and is the second-largest city in the state. With a population of 318,069 in July 2011, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) population of 2,812,896 is the 18th-largest in the country. The Greater St. Louis combined statistical area's (CSA) population of 2,878,255 is the 16th-largest CSA in the country, the fourth-largest in the Midwest. The Greater St. Louis area is the largest metropolitan area in Missouri.

The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, and after the Louisiana Purchase, it became a major port on the Mississippi River. Its population expanded after the American Civil War, and it became the fourth-largest city in the United States in the late 19th century. It seceded from St. Louis County in March 1877, allowing it to become an independent city and limiting its political boundaries. In 1904, it hosted the 1904 World's Fair and the 1904 Olympic Games. The city's population peaked in 1950, then began a long decline that reversed only at the beginning of the 21st century.

Vladimir Andreyevich Tarasenko (Russian: Влади́мир Андре́евич Тарасе́нко; born December 13, 1991) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Tarasenko has played for the Russian junior team three times, winning a silver medal at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships, sixth place at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and captained Russia to a gold medal at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Tarasenko played in the system of HC Sibir and joined their KHL team in 2008. He spent three seasons with the team before being traded to SKA St. Petersburgh in 2012. Tarasenko was drafted 16th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues.

Tarasenko's learned from his father, Andrei, who was a former Russian league scoring champion and Olympian. He made his professional debut with HC Sibir in 2008–09, scoring seven goals and ten points in 38 games and was the runner up in voting for rookie of the year. He was released to play with the junior team at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships where he scored eight goals in seven games and was named a tournament all-star as Russia won a silver medal. Tarasenko returned to Sibir in 2009–10 as the seventh youngest player in the KHL. He again represented Russia, at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, finishing third in team scoring with five points in six games. Tarasenko is more than 18 years old but still wears a cage because doctors forbid him to play without it due to a previously suffered injury.