The Minnesota Wild have plenty of things to do this summer to take another step toward the Stanley Cup. The bulk of that work will take place in their top six as they continue to search for a No. 1 center. But they also need help on the wing to balance out a scoring punch that disappeared during the second round of last year’s playoffs.
Part of the puzzle was solved on Friday when Marcus Johansson decided to return to his home country of Sweden and sign a two-year deal with Färjestad BK. But the biggest winner may be Vladimir Tarasenko, whose odds to return may have skyrocketed after Johansson’s departure.
Vladimir Tarasenko’s path to the Wild may be clear this summer
Tarasenko was a shrewd pickup by Bill Guerin last summer as he came over from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for cash considerations. The under-the-radar move reaped big rewards as he scored 23 times and recorded 47 points in 75 games but his future was uncertain as he enters free agency next month.
When speaking about the future of Tarasenko and Johansson, The Athletic’s Joe Smith and Michael Russo stated that it was “hard to envision” both players returning but kept the door open for one or the other to come back to Minnesota. With Johansson officially out of the way, Tarasenko’s path is presumably clear as he showed interest in coming back and John Hynes seemingly reciprocated the interest with his compliments during last month’s exit interviews.
“I’ve always respected Vladi as a player, coaching against him, what he’s done in the league,” Hynes said via Smith. “He’s got a winning pedigree. He’s a big-game player. When we talked this summer, I thought it was important to spend some time with him and understand him and his experiences – what the good ones were, what the bad ones were and why. Get to know his family.
“We developed a bit of trust with him and a relationship with him. He understands me and what we’re doing, and when we get into a season, that helps. He’s great. He challenges you. He has that type of personality, which I respect.”
While the two sides have interest in a reunion, there are some hurdles to clear. The first is the price. AFP Analytics projects that Tarasenko could get a one-year, $3.39 million contract, which is a fair price if he matches his level of play from last season.
But there are no guarantees that will happen. While Tarasenko was an overall success, his minus-11 plus/minus rating was an issue and his 15.5 percent shooting rate was a career-high and his highest since posting a 15.4 shooting percentage as a 22-year-old during the 2013-14 season.
Entering his age-35 season, the Wild may look to get younger and add a more dynamic scoring wing, especially if fellow free agent Mats Zuccarello returns as expected. Minnesota may also look to make a more reliable addition considering Tarasenko is two years removed from an 11-goal, 33-point performance with the Red Wings.
Even if that is the case, Tarasenko had to believe that he got good news on Friday and it could lead to a second season in Minnesota.
