Vladimir Tarasenko is expected to test free agency when the market opens July 1. And he is doing it with a new agent.
The 34-year-old winger parted ways with Pat Brisson and Paul Theofanous and has signed with Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Milstein represents a stable of Russian stars including Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mikhail Sergachev, and he has clients on 25 of the other 31 NHL teams. That kind of reach could matter as Tarasenko looks for his next contract.
The Minnesota Wild are tight against the cap after re-signing Michael McCarron to a six-year deal, so bringing Tarasenko back was already a long shot. Now it looks like a nonstarter. Friedman reported the agent change signals Tarasenko is ready to see what the open market offers.
A bounce-back season in Minnesota
Tarasenko had a solid year for the Wild. He scored 23 goals, the most he has put up since he netted 34 for the St. Louis Blues in 2021-22. He also added 24 assists, bringing his point total to 47. That was also his highest since that 82-point season with the Blues. He is not the same guy who made the cover of EA Sports NHL and won a Stanley Cup in St. Louis. But he is still a 20-goal winger who can help a power play and gives a team secondary scoring.
A bunch of teams will probably kick the tires. On the open market, a veteran winger with his track record and one strong season in the rearview mirror usually draws interest. The question is term and dollars. Tarasenko turns 35 in December, and wingers in their mid-30s rarely get long deals. But a two-year or three-year deal at a reasonable cap hit seems realistic.
The Wild traded for him last offseason, sending a pick to the Detroit Red Wings. He was originally part of a big free-agent splash in Detroit in 2023 but that experiment fizzled. In Minnesota, he found a better fit playing on a line with some skill and getting power-play time. The numbers showed it.
Free agency opens July 1 at noon Eastern. Tarasenko will be one of a handful of veteran forwards worth watching closely. Milstein has a reputation for getting his guys paid. Something will probably happen fast.
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