By Lukas Weese, Max Bultman and Chris Johnston
The Detroit Crimson Wings and ahead Vladimir Tarasenko agreed to a two-year, $9.5 million deal, the workforce introduced Wednesday. The contract carries a mean annual worth of $4.75 million.
Tarasenko, 32, performed for the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers in 2023-24 after the Panthers acquired Tarasenko on the commerce deadline.
The champ is heading to Motor Metropolis 👀
The Detroit Crimson Wings and ahead Vladimir Tarasenko have agreed to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75M, the workforce introduced on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/AHUlwuDf5v
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 3, 2024
In 76 regular-season video games performed in 2023-24, Tarasenko recorded 23 objectives and 32 assists. He was a member of the Panthers workforce that gained their first Stanley Cup in franchise historical past. In 24 playoff video games, Tarasenko tallied 5 objectives and 4 assists.
He doesn’t generate scoring possibilities on the fee he as soon as did however nonetheless possesses the form of shot wanted to place the puck within the web. Constructed like a tank, Tarasenko can win puck battles alongside the wall and battle by way of the form of visitors we’re accustomed to seeing in playoff hockey.
Tarasenko completed this season with even higher offensive numbers than he managed final season and lifted the Stanley Cup for a second time in June.
The Tarasenko signing follows the Crimson Wings bringing again ahead Patrick Kane on a one-year, $4 million deal, with as much as $2.5 million in bonuses and a full no-trade clause, per league sources. After becoming a member of Detroit halfway by way of final season, following hip surgical procedure, Kane scored 20 objectives and had 47 factors in 50 video games for the Crimson Wings, who got here inside a tiebreaker of the playoffs. Kane and Tarasenko are reunited after enjoying collectively on the New York Rangers.
Detroit additionally traded ahead Robby Fabri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round choose to the Anaheim Geese in trade for goaltender Gage Alexander, the groups introduced Wednesday. The Crimson Wings completed fifth within the Atlantic Division final season with a 41-32-9 report.
Why Tarasenko is smart for Crimson Wings
After dropping David Perron to Ottawa, buying and selling Fabbri to Anaheim, and with Daniel Sprong additionally a free agent, Detroit had a whole lot of scoring to exchange in its ahead group. Tarasenko undoubtedly helps with that, coming off a season by which he had 55 factors between the Senators and Panthers.
That’s not sufficient to exchange all of the offense the Crimson Wings have misplaced this offseason, but it surely undoubtedly makes a dent, and it’s straightforward to ascertain Tarasenko ending off feeds from Kane in Detroit’s high six. — Max Bultman, Crimson Wings beat author
The place Detroit’s roster stands now
Tarasenko isn’t essentially the star he as soon as was, however he’s nonetheless a really efficient scorer and the Crimson Wings did have a gap within the top-six. Tarasenko fills that with a bit of little bit of upside (he did have 82 factors in 2021-22 at age 30).
On paper, it now appears like Detroit has most of its major enterprise achieved, however might nonetheless add one other ahead to spherical out its group. Clearing Fabbri’s cash out additionally leaves the Crimson Wings with loads of cap area to increase younger restricted free brokers Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond to contracts of any size. — Bultman
Required studying
(Picture: Dave Sandford / NHLI by way of Getty Pictures)