Rangers trading for Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko: reports
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Vladimir Tarasenko / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image
The Rangers are trading for St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko, per multiple reports, making a big splash well in advance of the NHL trade deadline.
New York is also reportedly getting defenseman Niko Mikkola in the deal.
Sammy Blais will be heading to St. Louis along with draft picks and a prospect, with the Blues retaining much of Tarasenko’s cap hit.
The Blueshirts have been shuffling their top line around, and Tarasenko — a close friend of Artemi Panarin — could potentially be a perfect fit there.
If Tarasenko joins Panarin and Mika Zibanejad on the top line (Jimmy Vesey was the third member of the line during Wednesday night’s win over the Vancouver Canucks), he could provide quite a jolt.
The Rangers’ second line of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil (who has been on a goal-scoring rampage), and Kaapo Kakko has been humming lately, with Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck anchoring the third line.
In 38 games with the Blues this season — a sagging team that is currently out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference — the 31-year-old Tarasenko had 10 goals and 19 assists.
He had a phenomenal season in 2021-22, notching 34 goals and 48 assists in 75 games.
Tarasenko is in the final year of an eight-year, $60 million deal, and set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.