The best team in the NHL just got better as it prepares for a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Florida Panthers have acquired winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the Ottawa Senators, the teams announced Wednesday.
The Senators also retained 50% of Tarasenko's $5 million salary. In exchange, the Senators received a 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick from the Panthers.
Tarasenko, 32, signed a one-year deal with Ottawa last summer and has been a productive forward for the team in 2023-24. Through 57 games, Tarasenko has tallied 17 goals and 24 assists, and he should provide the Panthers with a little bit more firepower on the wings.
In his 12-year NHL career, Tarasenko has eclipsed the 30-goal mark six times. Even though he may not be that player anymore, Tarasenko can still provide some offense in Florida, especially considering the support he'll have around him. If Panthers head coach Paul Maurice decides to slot Tarasenko alongside Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, it could be a winning combination that also allows Nick Cousins to play a more suitable role in the bottom-six.
When it comes to the adjustment period that comes with getting traded at the deadline, Tarasenko has recent experience. The St. Louis Blues sent Tarasenko to the New York Rangers at this time last year, and he finished the regular season with eight goals and 13 assists in 31 games with his new team.
This move by the Panthers is just adding another weapon to an already fully-loaded arsenal. Since Jan. 1, Florida has lost just six games and only four times in regulation. The Panthers' 21-4-2 run has vaulted them to the top of the NHL standings, three points clear of the Boston Bruins with a game in hand.
