The Wild have found the scoring winger they coveted, bringing in two-time Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko in a trade from Detroit for future considerations.
Tarasenko, 33, is under contract for one more season, and the Wild are on the hook for the $4.75 million remaining on his two-year, $9.5 million contract. That leaves them with approximately $13 million in cap space ahead of NHL free agency opening on Tuesday.
“His track record of winning, his track record of scoring, he’s a bigger body,” President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin said. “He’s got a lot of experience. He’s a player that is in need of a fresh start. The contract and the money and everything just kind of fits.”
Last season, Tarasenko had 11 goals and 22 assists on a Red Wings team that missed the playoffs, but the 6-1, 218-pound Russian right winger tallied 23 goals two seasons ago before adding another five during Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2024. Tarasenko first won with St. Louis in 2019.
A four-time All-Star Game selection, Tarasenko has also played for the New York Rangers and Ottawa after the Blues drafted him in the first round (16th overall) in 2010.
He’s up to 304 goals and 358 assists for 662 points in 831 career NHL games, exceeding 30 goals six times and hitting a career-high 40 in 2016.
“We’re a place that Vladdy can come and hopefully get back to the form that he’s had in past years, and I know he’s excited about it,” Guerin said. “We’re excited to have him.”
Had the team waited to try to fill this role in free agency, they might have been priced out: This year’s class isn’t as deep as in previous years, and that could lead to bidding wars and more expensive contracts.
