More scoring depth is needed by the Boston Bruins, ideally in the shape of a middle-six winger. Before Friday’s NHL trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET, is Vladimir Tarasenko a realistic possibility for Bruins general manager Don Sweeney to consider?
In the previous summer, Tarasenko inked a $5 million, one-year contract with the Ottawa Senators. In 57 games this season, he has totaled 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists). He is on track to score more than 20 goals for the seventh time in his career after scoring 34 goals with the St. Louis Blues in 2021–2022 and 18 goals between the Blues and New York Rangers in the previous campaign.
In other words, he poses a real offensive threat.
The Senators have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference and are bottom of the Atlantic Division standings. It makes perfect sense to trade Tarasenko, a seasoned player whose contract is about to expire, in order to acquire further assets for their rebuild.
An update on Tarasenko’s future in Ottawa was provided on Monday by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. He mentioned that the Bruins were among the teams that had made inquiries regarding the seasoned forward.
“A league source told this newspaper that the Florida Panthers would be high on his list of possible destinations,” Garrioch stated. “They are among the teams that have kicked tires along with the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.”
How much would it cost to get Tarasenko?
“Though the Senators are seeking a second-round pick and a prospect in return for Tarasenko, he has some control over the situation,” Garrioch stated. “He has a full no-trade clause (NTC), which means he has every right to decide his future.”
The fact that the Bruins won’t have a pick in Round 2 until 2026 could present an issue for them if the Senators are eager to acquire a second-round pick for Tarasenko. In 2024, they will also have no first-, second-, or third-round picks. Perhaps there’s another way to make a deal that makes sense, but this is just another instance when Boston’s lack of draft capital could be an issue.
Tarasenko is a prolific scorer who also has 97 postseason games under his belt. In those games, he has 20 assists and 44 goals scored.
Tarasenko’s tenure with the Blues—who defeated Boston in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final—will be recalled by Bruins supporters. In that series, Taransenko scored three goals and contributed an assist in Game 7.
Jim Montgomery, the head coach of the Bruins, spent 2021–2022 as an assistant coach for the Blues, thus he should be familiar with Tarasenko’s skill set and whether the Bruins would be a good fit for him.
Before the trade deadline, the Bruins must strengthen their blue line. Right now, it’s their biggest vulnerability. However, it would also be wise to add a forward of Tarasenko’s caliber to the middle six.