Tarasenko traded to Panthers

Vladimir Tarasenko is on the move again.

The former St. Louis Blues winger and first-round pick in 2010 was traded on Wednesday from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers for three picks, including a 2024 fourth-round pick which becomes a 2026 third round pick if the Panthers win the Stanley Cup and 2025 third-round pick. Ottawa will retain 50 percent of Tarasenko's contract:

Tarasenko, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Senators this past off-season with a full no-trade clause, has always had a fondness for Florida. He makes an off-season home there, has trained there for a number of years, even going back to his days with the Blues and is close friends with Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

Florida was a favorite destination when Tarasenko hit the free agent market last summer but in the end, he signed a one-year deal with the Senators.

Tarasenko, 32, spent the first 10-plus seasons of his NHL career in St. Louis before he was traded to the New York Rangers along with defenseman Niko Mikkola on Feb. 9 for a package that included forward Sammy Blais, defenseman Hunter Skinner, a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2024.

Tarasenko, who will be reunited with Mikkola in Florida, had 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 57 games with the Senators this season; he won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 and had 553 points (262 goals, 191 assists) in 644 regular-season games with the Blues.

Tarasenko, who was teammates with Brady Tkachuk this season in Ottawa, now trades in brothers and will team up with Brady's older brother Matthew Tkachuk in Florida.

The Panthers are currently on top of the NHL standings with 90 points (43-16-4) and are a favorite to repeat as, at least, Eastern Conference champions, and are a favorite to win the Stanley Cup. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games last season in the Cup Final and this move will bolster an already potent offense.