Potential Free Agent-Touchdown Spots for Vladimir Tarasenko

The New York Rangers went all in on the NHL commerce deadline to attempt to place themselves for a Stanley Cup run.

It didn’t work out as deliberate, and after blowing a 2-0 collection result in the New Jersey Devils they’re left making an attempt to choose up the items in an offseason that’s starting far sooner than anyone anticipated.

It appears unlikely that any of their commerce deadline leases (Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane) will probably be returning to Broadway subsequent season resulting from their underwhelming performances, their age and the dearth of wage cap house the staff should work with this summer time.

So let’s check out the place these leases might find yourself this offseason.

Immediately we take a look at some potential touchdown spots for Tarasenko.

Through the Rangers’ clear-out day he said his foremost precedence is discovering a great place for his household with a staff that has an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, so that ought to assist slim dome some potential candidates.

Tarasenko will flip 32 subsequent season and isn’t going to be the franchise participant he was throughout his peak in St. Louis, however he is only one yr faraway from a 34-goal season and reached the 50-point mark in solely 69 video games this season. He can nonetheless be a really efficient top-six scorer and may have loads of potential suitors in what appears to be like to be an especially weak class of unrestricted free brokers.

Let us take a look at a few of these choices.

The Hurricanes examine a number of bins for a staff that would make a number of sense for Tarasenko in free company.

First, they’re a particular Stanley Cup contender.

They’ve been top-of-the-line groups within the league for 5 years now and given the make-up of their roster ought to proceed to be for the foreseeable future. Most of their core gamers are of their prime years and signed to long-term offers. They don’t seem to be going wherever.

They may also have a ton of wage cap house to work with as they are projected to have more than $24 million in cap space with already 17 gamers below contract for subsequent season. That not solely offers them loads of flexibility to be important consumers this offseason, it might put them within the working for any prime free agent they need. Tarasenko figures to be one of many prime aim scorers accessible.

They may also have a necessity inside their top-nine forwards as veterans Jordan Staal, Paul Stastny, Jesper Quick, Derek Stepan and Max Pacioretty are all projected to be unrestricted free brokers this summer time. Not all of them will probably be again, and there will probably be openings there.

Nearly as good because the Hurricanes have been lately, they’ve had a necessity for forwards with ending means to show all of their puck possession dominance into precise objectives, particularly come playoff time. Pacioretty was supposed to assist fill that void however his season was nearly fully worn out due to accidents. He may very well be a buy-low candidate to return on a short-term deal, and even when he’s Carolina might nonetheless use one other potential finisher like Tarasenko.

Despite the fact that Tarasenko has proven indicators of being in a decline, his 18 objectives and 50 factors would have nonetheless positioned him fourth amongst Hurricanes forwards this season. Put him with a possession-driving, playmaking heart like Sebastian Aho or Jesperi Kotkaniemi and he may have the ability to get again to a 30-goal degree.

It will be an excellent match for each Tarasenko and the Hurricanes.

If there may be one factor the Vegas Golden Knights love, it’s huge names that may assist them of their quest for a championship and massive names they will promote.

Vegas has additionally turn out to be a well-liked vacation spot amongst gamers, not just for the placement, however as a result of the staff can be persistently good.

Despite the fact that their wage cap scenario is all the time a multitude and one of many tightest conditions within the league, the Golden Knights all the time appear to discover a solution to make it work and are all the time ready so as to add gamers on the commerce deadline and in free company.

Vegas has about $3 million in salary cap space this offseason with 20 gamers below contract.

They’re set to probably lose Ivan Barbashev, Teddy Blueger and Phil Kessel as unrestricted free brokers, and Tarasenko might probably be an ideal match to not solely slide into that spot on the fitting wing to exchange Kessel, but additionally maybe enhance on him.

Kessel didn’t actually have a lot left within the tank this season and even discovered himself as a wholesome scratch come playoff time.

With Jack Eichel, William Karrlsson, Chandler Stephenson and Nicolas Roy, the Golden Knights are set down the center. They simply want some extra affect scorers on the wing.

They would not want Tarasenko to come back in and be a famous person or a core piece, however someone that would merely be a complementary scorer. He’s greater than able to nonetheless offering that.

The Avalanche noticed their Stanley Cup protection come to a surprising finish when the second-year Seattle Kraken eradicated them in seven video games within the first spherical of this yr’s playoffs.

Accidents actually performed a job within the Avalanche’s early exit, however additionally they misplaced fairly a little bit of depth from their Stanley Cup profitable staff.

They may lose much more this offseason.

Colorado can have six forwards eligible for unrestricted free company this summer time, together with J.T. Compher, Evan Rodrigues, Lars Eller, Andrew Cogliano, Darren Helm and Matt Nieto.

Past that, there additionally must be some considerations relating to Gabriel Landeskog after he missed the whole 2022-23 season due to damage.

Valeri Nichushkin—who left the staff through the playoffs—and his availability additionally must be below query. Previous to Recreation 3 towards the Kraken, an Avalanche staff doctor encountered a closely intoxicated girl at a Seattle lodge whereas checking on Nichushkin. Preliminary reporting prompt the lady was present in Nichushkin’s room, however this has been denied by his agent.

Regardless, Nichushkin was away from the staff from that time due to what had been described as “private causes.”

The Avalanche can have round $13 million in wage cap house this offseason and can nearly actually have a number of roster spots to fill. If Tarasenko is prepared to take rather less cash for an opportunity to play for a top-tier contender, he may very well be a terrific match for the best way the Avalanche play.

With Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and (hopefully) a wholesome Landeskog, the Avalanche have already got the top-tier gamers to steer the offense.

Their concern will probably be one among replenishing depth. Tarasenko could be a heck of a depth choice and perhaps give Colorado a further spark to get again to a Stanley Cup degree.

The Maple Leafs lastly broke by means of the glass ceiling that was the primary spherical, however it doesn’t matter what occurs for the remainder of this postseason, they’re nonetheless going to wish to herald a number of ahead assist this summer time.

They solely have seven below contract for subsequent season, and two of them are depth guys Sam Lafferty and Calle Jarnkrok.

The considerations right here could be whether or not or not the Maple Leafs might determine the wage cap scenario (they only have $7 million in cap space with a number of holes to fill) and if Tarasenko is the fitting match for them. He isn’t actually a two-way ahead and is fairly one-dimensional at this level in his profession, however he undoubtedly nonetheless has the potential to attain and make an affect.

Given the high-end expertise that may be round him, in addition to the up-tempo type Toronto tends to play, he may have the ability to put up some huge numbers and affect the second power-play unit.

It might nonetheless be a protracted shot, although.

A part of what makes Tarasenko such a captivating wild card in free company is that it’s troublesome to gauge what his worth will (or ought to) be.

Given his age, and the truth that he’s coming off an excellent however not nice yr and likewise seemed slightly sluggish within the playoffs, he’s in all probability not going to be in line for a long-term deal. A brief-term two- or three-year deal appears seemingly, and maybe even a one-year deal.

Even with all of that, and irrespective of the time period, he might in all probability command at the very least $5 or 6 million on the open market, particularly in such a skinny group of potential affect gamers. Possibly a staff like Toronto (or every other contender) that’s near profitable a Stanley Cup might get him to come back at a reduced worth for a chance to chase one other Cup. Toronto may want that to get him.

The Stars could be a captivating touchdown spot as a result of they appear to have a number of success with gamers like Tarasenko.

Elite gamers of their 30s out of whom they’re able to squeeze each ounce of productive hockey.

They did it with Alexander Radulov for a number of years. They’ve managed to do it with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. They’ve completed it with Joe Pavelski.

The Stars had been very busy on the commerce deadline in including Evgenii Dadonov, Luke Glendening and Max Domi to their ahead group, however all three of them are pending unrestricted free brokers.

The Stars emerged this season as one of many elite groups within the Western Convention, and so they appear poised to win a Stanley Cup sooner or later within the very close to future. They’ve affect gamers at each degree of the roster with all of their core gamers locked into long-term offers.

It’s one other staff that would merely use some secondary scoring choices across the edges to assist full the roster.

If Tarasenko desires an excellent staff that may very well be a terrific match for his type of play, this may very well be it. Dallas ought to once more be top-of-the-line groups within the Western Convention subsequent season, and including Tarasenko to a lineup that already has Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Pavelski, Seguin and Benn at ahead, with a bona fide No. 1 defenseman in Miro Heiskanen and an elite goalie in Jake Oettinger, might make them the Stanley Cup favourite.