Samorukov, 23, was acquired by the Blues via trade from the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 9, 2022. Samorukov appeared in two games with the Blues during his stint, recording two penalty minutes. This season, the Volgograd, Russia, native has posted 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) and 26 penalty minutes in 66 games for the Thunderbirds. Samorukov, who made his NHL debut with the Oilers against the Blues back on Dec. 29, 2021 at Enterprise Center, has totaled 50 points (nine goals, 41 assists) and 96 penalty minutes in 169 career AHL regular-season games.
Zherenko, 22, was drafted by the Blues in the seventh round (No. 208 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. This season, his first in North America, the 6-foot-4, 196-pound goaltender has played in 24 games for the Thunderbirds, posting a 10-8-3 record along with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. During the 2022 preseason, the Moscow, Russia, native made one appearance for the Blues, stopping all 11 third-period shots he faced to help the Blues to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
