The Lightning would be wise to sign this forward before the season begins.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have made a handful of new additions to their roster this off-season.
Although this is the case, it is fair to argue that they should not be done making moves before the season yet.
The Lightning would be very wise to bring in another skilled forward before the start of the season. It is clear that their top nine could use a boost, and they should consider making a last-minute push for Vladimir Tarasenko because of it.
Tarasenko remains an unrestricted free agent after hitting the market over two months ago. It is a little surprising, as the 34-year-old winger is still capable of producing solid offense in a top-nine role. Due to this, the Lightning should take advantage of him still being available and sign him.
If the Lightning signed Tarasenko, he could slot nicely on their second line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. However, he also could be useful on the Lightning's third line. In either scenario, Tampa Bay's middle six would improve with a Tarasenko addition.
Tarasenko would also give the Lightning another good player to work with on their power play, as he performs well on the man advantage.
Tarasenko posted 23 goals, 24 assists, and 47 points in 75 games last season with the Minnesota Wild. With numbers like these and his great resume, the two-time Stanley Cup champion could be a nice pickup for Tampa Bay on a short-term deal.
