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The Detroit Red Wings signed Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract in NHL Free Agency over the summer. Tarasenko brought legitimate expectations with him to Detroit. He came off a Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers — the second Stanley Cup ring of his career. And the hope was that he could help Detroit replace some of the goals they had lost.
Unfortunately, things have not worked out as hoped. Tarasenko has struggled mightily in 2024-25 and almost seems like a shell of his former self. He is on track to post the worst single-season totals of his entire career. His 7.5% shooting percentage currently ranks as the worst single-season shooting percentage of his career, for instance. Even after the Red Wings made a coaching change, Tarasenko has not seen his play improve alongside his teammates.
The NHL has gone on a midseason break for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Players will return to their teams later in February after the first best-on-best tournament in the league since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. However, Tarasenko may not return to Detroit. The Red Wings may be looking to offload his contract before the league resumes play.
“I've heard there's been some noise around him,” Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman said on Saturday Headlines. “Red Wings have gotten much better, they're in the race. A lot of the players have started to play better but it's kind of struggled to be a fit. … I've just heard that in his particular case, there's been some conversation around him.”
The Red Wings have played much better as of late, as Friedman said. In fact, Detroit enters this 4 Nations break sitting in the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. As a result, tough decisions must be made. And for the Red Wings, trading Tarasenko now may bring more benefit than trading him in the summer.
Red Wings may get better value in Vladimir Tarasenko trade now
The Red Wings should not want to move off Vladimir Tarasenko's contract for nothing. He is signed at a relatively manageable $4.75 million for this year and next. He does have a no-trade clause, which certainly complicates matters. In any event, Detroit has the final say over whether he is traded now or in the summer.
Tarasenko could certainly put his foot down and target a handful of destinations. This would limit what the Red Wings could receive in any trade. However, a trade before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7th may be the team's most beneficial move.
Tarasenko has struggled this season. He has seven goals and 22 points through 53 games. If he continues on his current pace, he will finish the 2024-25 campaign with 10 goals and 33 points in 80 contests.
These totals are a far cry from what he did last season. However, he could certainly salvage his season on another team. Interested teams are banking on this, in fact. So much so that they are comfortable not acquiring Tarasenko as a rental. The extra year on the veteran forward's contract increases his trade value since the interested teams are getting more games out of him.
Any potential return for Tarasenko is likely to be rather underwhelming, to be fair. Unless he is part of a larger “hockey trade,” his struggles are going to drive down his asking price. Still, it clearly has not been a fit in Detroit for Tarasenko. The Red Wings should take advantage of this second year on his contract and swing a trade before the end of the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7th. Waiting until the summer may not yield the same return.
