Detroit Red Wings Sign Vladimir Tarasenko to 2-year deal – Hockey Writers – Free Agency

In his 12-season career, Tarasenko has played for four teams, most notably St. Louis Blues, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He spent the 2023-24 season with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, recording 55 points in 76 regular season games, and nine points in 24 playoff games en route to his second Stanley Cup.

Tarasenko Remains A Skilled Offensive Striker

At 32 years old, Tarasenko may be a bit past his prime, but he still has a lot to offer. He has scored at least 20 goals in almost every season of his career due to his shooting accuracy and mentality. He can put the puck in the net from any angle, trusting his ability to take and convert difficult shots. He will give the Red Wings a scoring boost and he can help generate work on offense.

Tarasenko has also shown the ability to score points in big stages of the game. He has scored 49 goals in 121 playoff games, and while he wasn't Florida's leading scorer during their Stanley Cup run, he still had five goals, many of which were timely.

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If Detroit makes the playoffs in 2025, they should be able to count on Tarasenko to make significant contributions during the postseason and step up to the big time.

Red Wings Gain Veteran With Winning Experience

Tarasenko has played in 11 postseasons, won two Stanley Cups and made several other deep runs. That kind of rebound is incredibly important to the team, and Detroit will rely on his veteran presence to guide the rest of the team throughout the season, and into the playoffs if they get to that point.

The Red Wings are one of the NHL's most storied franchises but have not made the playoffs since 2016. As the core that made it so great throughout the 2000s and 2010s retired, the group declined, and has been trying to support. since. That rebuilding effort changed in 2019, when they hired franchise legend Steve Yzerman to run the front office. He began implementing the so-called “Yzerplan,” and the team has shown improvement over the past few seasons. They will still be back in the postseason, but now they are focused on continuing their good streak going forward. They form a promising group of young and veteran players. And now, they believe Tarasenko and his experience could be a key factor in putting him over the edge and finally getting back into contention and a potential championship.