Free agent right winger Vladimir Tarasenko has changed his representation to JP Barry and Pat Brisson of CAA, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

There was a report on Monday that it was looking like the Carolina Hurricanes were closing in on a deal for Vladimir Tarasenko. However, Friedman says that this agency switch indicates that there is no deal in place with any team, and that the free agency process re-sets for Tarasenko.

Tarasenko reportedly had multiple offers from contending and rebuilding teams in the $5.5-to-$6 million range, including an offer from the Hurricanes, and rejected them all, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. He reportedly wanted to stay with the Rangers, but there was no space, per Brooks.

It is an interesting time for Tarasenko. He entered free agency as one of the top wingers, and figured to get a significant deal. That could still happen, as there has been rumored interest from the Hurricanes as well as the Ottawa Senators.

Tarasenko faces a possible dilemma. This is possibly his last big contract in the NHL, and he is on the older side. However, he is still effective, and made a positive impact when he was traded to the New York Rangers. The salary cap did not increase by much this offseason, and as a result, many teams are in a cap crunch, including the Rangers, so a return is unlikely.

A possible route for Tarasenko is to sign a one-year deal, allowing him to hit free agency next offseason, when the salary cap is expected to take a serious jump. Tyler Bertuzzi did that with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It will be interesting to see if Vladimir Tarasenko's rumored deal with the Hurricanes comes to fruition, or if the Senators can swoop in and sign the Russian sniper.