Visit THN.com/free for a free issue with an annual subscription. Vladimir Tarasenko [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk5MDQ0MDc3ODAxNDQ5MjMz/usatsi_20425880.jpg] Vladimir Tarasenko The Ottawa Senators are keeping busy in late July, signing forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a one-year contract worth $5 million on Thursday. While Tarasenko is getting older at 31, he has seen success in the last couple of seasons. Last season saw him move from his 10-year home of St. Louis to the New York Rangers, but he managed to record 50 points in 69 games played. The year prior, however, Tarasenko put up the highest total of his career, with 82 points in 75 games. In 675 career NHL games, the Yaroslavl, Russia, native has 270 goals and 574 points, with 64 points in 97 playoff matchups. Earlier in July, the Senators traded right winger Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings after concluding they couldn't extend him long-term. Tarasenko can slide right into the spot DeBrincat left in hopes he can crack the 30-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career. On top of filling that hole, the Senators get a top-six winger with all-star seasons under his belt as they look to break through in a competitive Atlantic Division. They finished 11th in the Eastern Conference in 2022-23, six points out of the second wild-card spot. They were six points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings but five points behind the Buffalo Sabres, with all three attempting to end lengthy playoff droughts. With captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and either Claude Giroux or Drake Batherson on one line, with the remaining winger on another line with Tarasenko and Josh Norris, Ottawa's putting together a promising top six to compete with the rest. Newly acquired Dominik Kubalik can also play top six minutes after coming off a 45-point campaign in Detroit. The long-term question for the Senators is whether Tarasenko does what they couldn't do with DeBrincat and re-signs after one season with the team. Tarasenko is taking a chance on a one-year contract to show he's worth a long-term deal with big bucks involved once the salary cap increases more substantially. Ottawa now has only about $780,000 after signing Tarasenko, and they still have RFAs Shane Pinto and Egor Sokolov to re-sign. And after next season, 21-year-old defenseman Jake Sanderson and 23-year-old Erik Brannstrom become RFAs, and Kubalik will be a UFA. The Senators haven't made the playoffs since 2016-17, so they're doing what they can within the salary cap to get back after a lengthy rebuild. Bringing on Tarasenko could help get them there. Anthony Fava contributed to this report.
