Tarasenko Brings Cup to Fort Lauderdale Hospital
New Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko put a bow on his championship run with the Panthers by enjoying a day with Lord Stanley in South Florida
Yesterday, Vladimir Tarasenko, the Red Wings marquee summer acquisition, enjoyed the final fruits of his championship labor last spring with the Florida Panthers, spending his designated day with the Stanley Cup in South Florida.
Tarasenko, who chipped in five goals and four assist during the Panthers' 24-game postseason run, brought Lord Stanley to Broward Health to the Broward Health Medical Center. He and his family met with patients and staff and posed for picture with the Cup. Tarasenko also hoisted the trophy perched upon the hospital's helicopter pad. In addition, the Tarasenkos donated $10,000 to the hospital.
It's worth noting that when Tarasenko won his first Cup with the Blues in 2019, he enjoyed his day with Lord Stanley back home in Siberia. However, the league has not allowed the Cup to go to Russia (or Belarus) in the last two summers, following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. Fortunately, it appears Tarasenko found a meaningful way to enjoy his day with the Cup without bringing it home.
And, for what it's worth, Tarasenko himself has stressed from the moment he signed in Detroit that despite sitting comfortably in the back nine of his career with two Stanley Cup rings to his name, his competitive fire and hunger for more still burn. "That's the reason I came [to Detroit] because I like the way the team played," Tarasenko said at his introductory Zoom press conference. "I believe this team can make the playoffs and do some special things."
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