GARRIOCH: Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko can pick and choose his new home
Tarasenko has some control over the situation. He has a full no-trade clause, which means he has every right to decide his future.
Vladimir Tarasenko is in control of his own destiny.
The action is about to heat up as Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manger, attempts to make changes to his struggling club for the first time since taking full control of the hockey operations on Nov.
The expectation is that Tarasenko, set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, will be dealt before the deadline Friday.
League sources told Postmedia there are as many as five or six teams that have shown interest in the 32-year-old, and it will be up to him to determine which destination fits best.
Though the Senators are seeking a second-round pick and a prospect in return for Tarasenko, he has some control over the situation. He has a full no-trade clause (NTC), which means he has every right to decide his future.
A league source told this newspaper that the Florida Panthers would be high on his list of possible destinations. They are among the teams that have kicked tires along with the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.
Tarasenko’s wife, and two toddlers, make their home in the Fort Lauderdale area and the Panthers are looking for another top-nine forward. He has had a strong season with 17 goals and 41 points in 57 games with Ottawa.
“They should be able to get a decent return for him,” a league executive said Monday. “He’s played well for them.”
Tarasenko is an attractive option for a contender because he won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, so he knows what it takes.
Making $5 million US on the one-year deal Tarasenko signed with the club last summer, the executive warned there may be a fly in the ointment if he tries to parlay a trade into a contract extension with the teams that want to bring him in for a playoff run.
Tarasenko recently hired high-profile agent Craig Oster of Newport Sports, and the belief is that was done to help facilitate a new deal with whichever teams are interested at the deadline. You have to hope that won’t hold up a deal, but Tarasenko does have the right to ask before he’s dealt.
“Normally the player wants to exchange waving his no-trade clause for something in return, and it would be no surprise if Tarasenko wants an extension with his new team,” another league executive added.
We’re told the Senators also have been trying to move winger Dominik Kubalik, defenceman Erik Brannstrom and centre Mark Kastelic. The club hasn’t been actively shopping defenceman Jakob Chychrun, but teams have called and the possibility exists he gets moved as well.
