On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings secured one of the top remaining free-agent forwards by signing Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $4.75 million per year. This move not only removes a skilled scorer from the market but also reunites him with his former New York Rangers teammate, Patrick Kane, whom the Blueshirts had shown interest in before he re-signed with the Red Wings ahead of NHL free agency.
Tarasenko and Kane are back together after being acquired in separate trades by the Rangers before the trade deadline. Both completed theseason in New York, but neither veteran was re-signed after the season ended.
When Rangers general manager Chris Drury traded for Tarasenko and Kane there was much excitement and hope that the new star power could help carry the Blueshirts on a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But the aging stars with four Stanley Cup rings between them at the time couldn’t boost the Rangers, who flamed out in the first-round, losing to the New Jersey Devils in seven games.
Though Tarasenko and Kane weren’t the main culprits, the No.3-seeded Rangers blew a 2-0 series lead against the No. 2-seeded New Jersey Devils and lost the opening-round series in seven games.
Tarasenko was second on the Rangers in that series with three goals and tied for fourth with four points. Playing with a bad hip, Kane scored only one goal against the Devils but was third on the Blueshirts with six points.
The two star wingers played 26 games together between the regular season and the playoffs. Tarasenko had 11 goals and 25 points in 38 games with the Blueshirts between the regular season and postseason, and Kane had six goals and 18 points in 26 games.
Shortly after the season ended, Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery. Although he was interested in re-signing with the Rangers after his rehab, New York faced salary cap constraints, leading him to sign a one-year contract with the Red Wings. Post-surgery, Kane appeared much healthier, scoring 20 goals and 47 points in 50 games with Detroit.
Reportedly, Tarasenko also wished to return to the Rangers, but that wasn’t feasible without a significant pay cut. Instead, he signed a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators, who later traded him to the Florida Panthers before the 2024 trade deadline. Tarasenko scored 23 goals in the regular season and added five postseason goals, including the series-winner against the Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, before helping the Panthers win the Stanley Cup in seven games against the Edmonton Oilers.
