Vladimir Tarasenko
Position: RW
Age: 31
Height/Weight: 6’0”, 225 pounds
Statistics: 10 goals, 19 assists, 29 points (38 games played)
Player Overview
On one of last week’s editions of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliott Friedman reported that this summer there was talk of a possible Vladimir Tarasenko trade to the New Jersey Devils. The Russian winger is having a down year for his standards, but has been one of the most consistent scorers of the past decade.
The St. Louis Blues selected Tarasenko with the 16th pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. After spending three and a half seasons in Russia developing his game, Tarasenko jumped right into the Blues’ lineup.
The St. Louis All-Star had the best season of his career just last year. He totaled 34 goals and 82 points in just 75 games.
While Tarasenko isn’t the best on the defensive side of the puck, his finishing ability makes up for it tenfold. Tarasenko also has a physical side to his game. Weighing in at 220 pounds, the former first-round draft pick can use his body.
Add his immense playoff experience, including a Stanley Cup, to an already impressive resume for Tarasenko and he may be a player Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald may be intrigued by.
Contract
Tarasenko is in the final year of a massive eight-year, $60-million deal he signed with the team in the summer of 2015. The deal carries an average annual value of $7.5 million.
Being a pending unrestricted free agent means that if the Devils were to acquire him they would need to consider if they would let him walk at season’s end or bring him back for another go.
Tarasenko has been disappointing this year, which has brought down his market value to just $4.6 million according to Dom Luszczyszyn of the Athletic. However, if the Devils trade for him and he goes on an impressive run it’s almost certain his value will increase.
The big question mark here is that the Devils already have Hughes, Hischier, and Hamilton locked up to big contracts. If Tarasenko asks for a lot as a pending free agent would it make sense to re-sign him as a now 31 year old?
Potential Fit With Devils
One thing the New Jersey Devils are missing is just a tad bit more punch to their offense. More specifically, their top-two forward lines. Tarasenko would definitely help in that part of the game, so there certainly is a fit there. Further, having him slot in the top six would allow for greater depth in the bottom six. An area of the team that has struggled.
The Devils could also use some more depth on their power play, a place Tarasenko has thrived throughout his career. Overall, it’s no question that in a vacuum the Russian winger fits well on this team.
Would a Deal Make Sense?
The short answer: probably not. Even with Tarasenko having a down year, and him being a rental, the Blues are most likely going to raise a high price for the All-Star.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald has already stated multiple times that he is not going to give up assets at the deadline for pending unrestricted free agents. He wants players with term or team control, which is what makes a player like Timo Meier (trade profile here) a better fit.
Tarasenko’s lack of control, age, as well as his potential price is what in the end will stop him from becoming a Devil. This despite him being a player the team has been around each of the past two off-seasons.