The Minnesota Wild overhauled their top six this offseason, watching Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson leave the team in a pair of surprising moves. But one move that was largely expected was the departure of Vladimir Tarasenko.
Experiencing a renaissance year in Minnesota, Tarasenko hit the market with full steam, even with a suggestion of potential tampering by The Athletic’s Michael Russo. But with training camp set to begin in a few weeks, Tarasenko remains without a job as part of a free agency campaign that hasn’t gone according to plan.
Vladimir Tarasenko free agent dreams may be crushed after departure from Wild
On his production alone, Tarasenko was on track to be one of the top wingers in this year’s free agent class. After coming over in an offseason trade with the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations, Tarasenko seized a middle six role and scored 23 goals and tallied 47 points during the regular season. He also added two more goals and five points during the Wild’s 11-game playoff run and seemed to be on pace for one last big contract as he enters his age-35 season.
But that’s where things have gone wrong. After switching agents from Paul Theofanous and Pat Brisson to Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey last June, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Tarasenko was “headed to market” and Milstein had "permission to speak directly to teams” before free agency began on July 1. Russo followed up by saying the Wild did not give Tarasenko permission and that “there is no courting period in the NHL,” raising the possibility that teams were tampering with Tarasenko before the market opened.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested that a fine up to $5 million, possible suspensions or the loss of draft picks could be punishment for a potential tampering situation and it may have cooled Tarasenko’s market off. But Tarasenko also didn’t do himself any favors as he earned a projection of $2.0 to $3.5 million on a short-term or one year deal by Brennan McClain of Pro Hockey Rumors.
Whether it’s the price or a desire to capture a long-term deal, Tarasenko’s services are still available and it creates an interesting situation as teams get closer to training camp.
Vladimir Tarasenko may have trouble finding a team as training camp approaches
Tarasenko’s return would be a great answer to the Wild’s current top-six problem but it feels unlikely after the Wild re-signed Bobby Brink and signed Maxim Shabanov in free agency. An injury could also open the door, but Minnesota’s cap situation may immediately close it with Puckpedia projecting $1.15 million in cap space.
With Minnesota still trying to trade for Dylan Larkin from the Detroit Red WIngs, it’s unlikely a deal would pan out. But Tarasenko may still have trouble finding a new home thanks to the hidden concerns in last year’s performance.
Tarasenko had just two goals in his first 18 games and worked around a lower body injury that kept him out for seven games last November. His skating speed was also below average according to NHL Edge’s metrics and he’s two years removed from being a complete no-show when he scored 11 times and had just 33 points in 80 games with the Red Wings during the 2024-25 season.
All things considered, it shouldn’t be surprising that Tarasenko is still on the market. But for a player looking to cash in, his patience could be tested as the start of the season draws closer.
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