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 sequence 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) might be returning to Broadway subsequent season as a result of their underwhelming performances, their age and the shortage of wage cap house the workforce should work with this summer time.

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

At this time we have a look at some potential touchdown spots for Tarasenko.

Throughout the Rangers’ clear-out day he said his foremost precedence is discovering a great place for his household with a workforce that has an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, so that ought to assist slender 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 will have loads of potential suitors in what seems to be a particularly weak class of unrestricted free brokers.

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

The Hurricanes verify lots of bins for a workforce that would make lots 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 aren’t going anyplace.

They can even 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 beneath contract for subsequent season. That not solely provides them loads of flexibility to be important consumers this offseason, it may put them within the working for any prime free agent they need. Tarasenko figures to be one of many prime aim scorers obtainable.

They can even 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 might be again, and there might be openings there.

Pretty much as good because the Hurricanes have been lately, they’ve had a necessity for forwards with ending skill 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 solely worn out due to accidents. He could possibly be a buy-low candidate to return on a short-term deal, and even when he’s Carolina may nonetheless use one other potential finisher like Tarasenko.

Though 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 would possibly be capable of get again to a 30-goal degree.

It might be a very good match for each Tarasenko and the Hurricanes.

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

Vegas has additionally develop into a preferred vacation spot amongst gamers, not just for the situation, however as a result of the workforce can be persistently good.

Though their wage cap state of affairs is at all times a large number and one of many tightest conditions within the league, the Golden Knights at all times appear to discover a strategy to make it work and are at all times able 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 beneath contract.

They’re set to probably lose Ivan Barbashev, Teddy Blueger and Phil Kessel as unrestricted free brokers, and Tarasenko may probably be an ideal match to not solely slide into that spot on the fitting wing to exchange Kessel, but in addition 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 only want some extra influence scorers on the wing.

They would not want Tarasenko to return in and be a celebrity or a core piece, however anyone 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 stunning 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 task within the Avalanche’s early exit, however additionally they misplaced fairly a little bit of depth from their Stanley Cup successful workforce.

They may lose much more this offseason.

Colorado could 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 issues concerning Gabriel Landeskog after he missed the complete 2022-23 season due to harm.

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

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

The Avalanche could have round $13 million in wage cap house this offseason and can nearly actually have lots of roster spots to fill. If Tarasenko is keen to take rather less cash for an opportunity to play for a top-tier contender, he could possibly be an ideal match for the way in which the Avalanche play.

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

Their problem might be considered one of replenishing depth. Tarasenko could be a heck of a depth possibility and perhaps give Colorado an extra spark to get again to a Stanley Cup degree.

The Maple Leafs lastly broke by 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 usher in lots of ahead assist this summer time.

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

The issues right here could be whether or not or not the Maple Leafs may work out the wage cap state of affairs (they only have $7 million in cap space with lots of holes to fill) and if Tarasenko is the fitting match for them. He’s not 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 influence.

Given the high-end expertise that may be round him, in addition to the up-tempo model Toronto tends to play, he would possibly be capable of put up some massive numbers and influence the second power-play unit.

It may nonetheless be a protracted shot, although.

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

Given his age, and the truth that he’s coming off a very good however not nice yr and likewise appeared a bit of sluggish within the playoffs, he’s most likely not going to be in line for a long-term deal. A brief-term two- or three-year deal appears seemingly, and even perhaps a one-year deal.

Even with all of that, and irrespective of the time period, he may most likely command at the very least $5 or 6 million on the open market, particularly in such a skinny group of potential influence gamers. Perhaps a workforce like Toronto (or every other contender) that’s near successful a Stanley Cup may get him to return at a reduced worth for a possibility to chase one other Cup. Toronto would possibly want that to get him.

The Stars could be a captivating touchdown spot as a result of they appear to have lots 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 couple of years. They’ve managed to do it with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. They’ve executed 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 influence gamers at each degree of the roster with all of their core gamers locked into long-term offers.

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

If Tarasenko needs a very good workforce that could possibly be an ideal match for his model of play, this could possibly 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, may make them the Stanley Cup favourite.