ST. PAUL, Minn. — Vadim Zherenko’s personality is unassuming. He’s soft-spoken and polite. He’s patient in explaining how to pronounce his last name: Share … en … ko. He’s effusive in gratitude when someone compliments his English. He thanks anyone who tells him he had a good game.

During the Blues’ 5-1 win over Minnesota on Friday night in the first game of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, Zherenko’s play did most of the talking.

Zherenko was the best player on the ice at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, keeping the Blues in the game as Minnesota threatened in the first period, and then keeping the Wild at bay with breakaway stop after breakaway stop once the St. Louis offense did arrive. While the prospect tournament did not keep public statistics on Zherenko’s save total, he was the biggest reason why the Blues were able to cruise in the franchise’s first game action in more than five months.

“The confidence in his game, the rebound control, things that at times last year, when he was maybe a little bit nervous, but overall he was really good,” said Drew Bannister, who coaches AHL affiliate Springfield and is in charge of the Blues prospects in Minnesota. “I think he’s made some big steps the last couple months.”

The Blues also received goals from five different players: Mikhail Abramov (4 on 4), Keean Washkurak (shorthanded), Alexis Bonefon, Nikita Alexandrov (power play) and Zach Dean. Zack Bolduc had two assists as Alexandrov and Dean began to gel as the team’s top line in the second and third periods.

St. Louis will finish its trip to St. Paul with a game Saturday night against Connor Bedard and the rest of the Blackhawks prospects.

On Friday night against Minnesota, Zherenko was poised in controlling rebounds, agile in adjusting to tight shots and deflections and strong against the Wild’s rush chances, particularly in the second period.

“Goalies, I don’t think about that,” Zherenko said. “I just play, try to work hard to help my team. That’s all I can.”

Zherenko, the 22-year-old Russian, made the jump to North America last season in Springfield. While Joel Hofer starred as the starter — named the AHL’s second-team goalie, and promoted to be the backup in St. Louis this season — Zherenko got his feet wet as the backup. On most nights, he was playing as part of a back-to-back (or even three games in three nights), except when Hofer was recalled to the NHL in March.

In 25 AHL games last season, Zherenko went 10-9-3 with a .913 save percentage and 3.14 goals against average. The Hofer-Zherenko tandem helped patch over whatever shortcomings the Thunderbirds had on defense last season, when Springfield was a top 10 team in goals against despite allowing the most shots on goal in the league.

“Zherenko was very good,” defenseman Matt Kessel said Friday. “We saw it all year, so this is what I expect from him. He was very calm and steady back there. Very good at playing pucks, so he made it easy on us.”

The Blues rewarded Zherenko (originally a seventh-round pick in 2019) down the stretch last season with his first call up to the NHL when backup Thomas Greiss got injured. Since the organization wanted Hofer playing in the AHL, Zherenko got the call to back up Jordan Binnington for four games.

When Zherenko returned to Russia in the summer, he said he worked on having “more control of the puck, improve my play stick-handling and try to be square always in front of the puck.”

This season, Zherenko will receive more starts with Hofer’s graduation to the NHL, but it’s unknown if he’ll earn the majority of them. The Blues signed veteran journeyman goaltender Malcolm Subban to serve in a tandem with Zherenko, much like how Charlie Lindgren and Hofer worked together during the 2021-22 season.

“I just think with him and with Subban, we’re comfortable with that pair,” Bannister said. “Obviously, Subban is a veteran goalie and both of them are going to be able to play. It’s a good situation for us to have.”

Subban feels like the more probable candidate to be called up in the case of injury because of his experience, but Zherenko will have a chance this preseason to make his case to usurp that role.

“Of course, I work hard and I talk with the coaches,” Zherenko said. “Going into the season, I’ll play a little more, but let’s see. I do what I can, just hard work.”

Zherenko’s showing in Minnesota seems over, as Colten Ellis is expected to start on Saturday against Chicago.

The Blues open training camp next week, and their first preseason games are Sept. 23 against Arizona.