Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The free agency frenzy is done and the chaos is calming down. There are still prominent names on the market and teams will continue to be active. One of those players has a home in mind. Today’s rumours swirl around the Florida Panthers.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: The Future of Vladimir Tarasenko remains uncertain
What a crazy time it’s been. In just a weeks span, the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup and had the parade. Also, the NHL Draft and free agency frenzy are done and development camp is in session. The offseason is just getting started and it’s craving us for more hockey.
With the free agency frenzy, plenty of teams went on to shuffle the deck and make big splash moves. The Nashville Predators were the boldest, inking Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault. But as we now shift the day two of free agency there are still key names on the block. One of them is Tarasenko and his future remains uncertain.
Tarasenko Has Destination In Mind
The latest NHL Rumours swirl around the two time Stanley Cup Champion. Much like his stint with the New York Rangers, Tarasenko was vocal about him wanting to stay. It’s comforting seeing a player enjoy their time and want to continue to play in that area. The Panthers lost some key players in free agency and could not retain everyone. The losses of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Brandon Montour leave a vacant opening on the blue line. Not to mention the depth forwards that left in free agency. Safe to say, those are top priority. However, retaining Tarasenko could be an option that fits the financial plan depending on the structure of the contract.
The Panthers went on to lock up their core forwards and look to continue their success. With the money being tied up in those players, they’ll need to pivot to other areas of need. Keeping Tarasenko would give them good quality depth and allow them to contend further. However, they aren’t the only team in the mix for his services.
Signing Tarasenko Has Benefits
According to Pagnotta, there are several teams in the mix for Tarasenko. He is a player worth taking a flyer on. During the 2023-24 season, Tarasenko went on to score 23 goals and 55 points. He was a near point per game player with the Panthers after the trade deadline. Tarasenko has shown he has good hockey in the tank and is still playing at a high enough level. For a contending team needing any extra depth, this is a good place to start. Depending on the financial situation, it may deter teams. During the playoffs, he chipped in nine points in 24 games. It wasn’t the same rate during the championship he won with the Blues, but you’re adding depth for a deep run. It’ll be interesting to see where he puts pen to paper, but the Panthers are home to him.
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