Updated 4 Best Landing Spots for Free Agent Winger Vladimir Tarasenko
October will be here soon enough.
And when it arrives, Vladimir Tarasenko and his 270 career NHL goals will have a full-time job as a top-six winger with one of the league's 32 teams.
But in July, it's all still a mystery.
The 31-year-old started the 2022-23 season with the St. Louis Blues before a deal shortly before the trade deadline sent him to New York, where he finished the regular schedule and played one ultimately disappointing playoff round with the Rangers.
General manager Chris Drury brought Tarasenko and Patrick Kane in as needle-movers as the team tried to better its run to the postseason final four from the previous spring, but neither Tarasenko's 21 points in 31 regular games nor his four in seven playoff games were enough, and the eight-year, $60 million contract he signed expired on July 1.
He wasn't among the first wave of players signing new deals in the first few days of the month and now that July is nearing its halfway point his future remains the stuff of daily conjecture among those who follow such things for a living. The B/R hockey staff is certainly among that group and assessed the situation while compiling an updated list of landing spots that seem to make the most sense for the prolific Russian-born sniper.
Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
Carolina Hurricanes
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We'll make this simple.
If what Tarasenko values most in a 2023-24 employer is the chance provided to win a second career Stanley Cup, there's no place like Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Carolina Hurricanes were the league's second-best regular-season team behind the record-setting Boston Bruins and GM Don Waddell has been busy in the offseason locking up his incumbent goaltending tandem for another season while adding top-pair defenseman Dmitry Orlov and feisty winger Michael Bunting as free agents.
Multiple reports suggested Waddell was already near a deal with Tarasenko's agent, Paul Theofanous, early last week, but nothing was officially announced between the sides and Tarasenko turned up with new representation by midweek, essentially taking all existing offers and progress off the table.
It doesn't change the reality that the Hurricanes are legit contenders and Tarasenko could be precisely what's needed to round out a squad that allowed the fewest shots (26) and second-fewest goals (2.56) per game, but was just 15th among 32 teams in goals scored (262).
If that's still what matters, he'll be setting up shop at PNC Arena.
New York Rangers
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If Tarasenko wants comfort, along with a reasonable chance to win, he'll love New York.
Or, more accurately, he'll continue to love New York.
New York Post columnist Larry Brooks reported that Tarasenko had rejected offers from multiple teams in the $5.5 million to $6 million annual range and would prefer to simply remain with the Rangers if salary-cap space were not a disqualifying factor.
The Rangers have slightly more than $6.1 million in remaining wiggle room with deals still being struck with two restricted free agents, Alexis Lafrenière and K'Andre Miller. So, whether Tarasenko wants to stay in New York or not, it's going to take some wheeling and dealing on Drury's part to get everyone signed and keep the ex-Blue around, too.
One of the scenarios out there is that New York could find a trade partner to take on veteran forward Barclay Goodrow and his $3.64 million salary for the next four years, along with a draft pick or prospect, to clear enough space to fit Tarasenko in at a workable rate.
The change in agents has bought Drury some time. And if what Tarasenko wants most is to stay in the city that never sleeps, it'd be a good idea if the GM didn't waste it.
Ottawa Senators
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No one may have been happier about Tarasenko's agent swapping than Pierre Dorion.
The Ottawa GM has been busy for the past 12 months trying to return his Senators to relevance, taking a big free-agent swing with prolific veteran forward Claude Giroux last summer and acquiring defenseman Jakob Chychrun at the trade deadline on March 1.
Another of those big swings, former 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat—acquired from Chicago at the 2022 draft—didn't pan out so well, plummeting to 27 goals and indicating he wasn't interested in staying in Ottawa upon expiration of his contract.
Dorion handled that situation and made space for Tarasenko as his replacement scorer on Friday (the Senators were 18th in goals last season), sending DeBrincat to Detroit for two players and two draft picks and emerging with better than $5 million in available cap space.
The Senators have missed the playoffs for six straight springs, but they jumped from 73 points to 86 last season, won 39 games and are loaded with young talent—forwards Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson, along with defenseman Thomas Chabot, are all 26 or younger and signed for a minimum of four more seasons—which means an arriving Tarasenko would be riding a wave that's trending upward.
To say nothing of making a 51-year-old hockey executive positively giddy.
San Jose Sharks
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A high-profile free agent seems destined to get big money from any number of teams, but, after a few weeks, still hasn't gotten the offer he wants from a contender.
So he bets on himself, signs for the short term with a team that's off the competitive radar, and waits for the trade deadline or the following summer to cash in on his wager.
In 2020, it was Taylor Hall.
The former MVP signed with the Buffalo Sabres for one season for $8 million, was sent to Boston at the deadline and subsequently inked a multi-year deal worth $24 million.
Make no mistake, that's the recipe being followed if Tarasenko winds up in San Jose.
The Sharks are far closer to the league's bottom than its top, but GM Mike Grier has been fielding offers on defenseman Erik Karlsson and has better than $5 million in cap space even with the Swede's $11.5 million salary still on the books. Once that money goes, Grier will still be charged with fielding a respectable team, and what better way to do it than signing a proven goal-scorer who can be moved after five months for future assets?
No less an authority than Elliotte Friedman suggested it as a possibility on NHL Network, so don't be surprised if Tarasenko is soon booking a cross-country flight to northern California.
It won't be reflected in the standings so much, but call it a win-win for all involved.
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