It has been reported that former St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko is entering the free agent market on July 1. Does General Manager-to-be Alexander Steen bring his former teammate back home as his first move?
The Blues are not anticipated to be heavy buyers with this free agency class. It is a weird one, and the real prizes are entering their contract years in 2026-27 and will be UFAs next offseason.
But, for a small price tag, the 34-year-old winger could be a nice addition for this roster and the fan base.
What’s his worth?
Tarasenko has been a bit of a journeyman recently. Since being traded to the New York Rangers in 2022-23, he has played for Florida, Minnesota, Detroit and Ottawa.
This past season in Minnesota saw him have a fantastic resurgence. At this point, a 23-goal and 24-assist season is a standout performance from him.
His most recent deal with the Red Wings was two years at $4.75 million. With last season being a flukey, but great, campaign for Tarasenko, this next deal is gonna be interesting. He is getting older, but is adapting well with fewer minutes on the ice.
His strongest suit is on the power play, which was really good in Minnesota last season. His five goals were stellar compared to years past, and get him a little close to that previous AAV.
Should the Blues pull the trigger?
The Blues made a number of moves during the Draft to upgrade the forward group. Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish are going to be battling for the second-line center spot. The loser may find himself on the third line, but as a winger alongside Dalibor Dvorsky.
So adding another winger is not out of the question, but the Blues are running a little low on money. McTavish is on the hook for $7 million next season, and it could come at a third-line spot. Overall, with McMichael as an RFA and in need of a new deal, which could exceed the $4 million AAV mark, the Blues will have about $8 million to spend.
Tarasenko cannot exceed a two-year, $3 million AAV. That is about as much wiggle-room that Steen will have when he takes over, and with the amount of other free agent's that he has to try and bring back. For instance, Matthew Kessel is in need of a new deal, as well as Jonatan Berggren.
Tarasenko's homecoming sounds like a great idea, especially as his career starts to enter the twilight stages. What a better way for him to help mentor this young forward core group, and be a bridge between the old to the new.
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