Vladimir Tarasenko was traded to the Minnesota Wild by the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations on Monday.
The 33-year-old forward had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 80 games for the Red Wings this season. He has one season remaining on a two-year, $9.5 million contract ($4.75 million average annual value) he signed with Detroit on July 3, 2024, and can become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
“There's a lot (of reasons he’s a fit),” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said of Tarasenko. “His track record of winning. His track record of scoring. He's a bigger body. He's got a lot of experience. I think he's a player that is in need of a fresh start.
“The contract, the money and everything just kind of fits, I think. We're at a place that Vladdy can come and hopefully get back to the form that he's had in past years. I know he's excited about it, and we're excited to have him.”
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (No. 16) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Tarasenko has 662 points (304 goals, 358 assists) in 831 regular-season games for the Blues, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers and Red Wings, and 73 points (49 goals, 24 assists) in 121 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“I know I still need to come and win my spot,” Tarasenko said on Tuesday. “It’s not like something guaranteed, but I’m very excited about the opportunity. I had really good conversations yesterday with Bill and (coach) John (Hynes), and like I said, I’m looking forward to come and help the team as much as I can.
Tarasenko won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 and the Panthers in 2024.
"I think we offer a guy like him a lot of good players to play with," Guerin said. "I know he's motivated. I think [Minnesota coach John Hynes] is already talking about going down to Florida and trying to meet up with him and I think the player-coach relationship is something really important. I just think there's a lot we can do to help him."
NHL.com indepedent correspondent Jessi Pierce contributed to this report