The Minnesota Wild have acquired veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations. The trade was announced on Monday, June 30, 2025, just ahead of the NHL free agency period.
Tarasenko, 33, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and four-time All-Star heading into his 14th NHL season. He has one year remaining on his two-year, $9.5 million contract, carrying a $4.75 million cap hit. The Wild will be responsible for the remaining $4.75 million on his deal.
Last season with the Red Wings, Tarasenko recorded 33 points (11 goals and 22 assists) in 80 games. Throughout his NHL career, Tarasenko has amassed 662 points (304 goals, 358 assists) in 831 regular-season games with the Blues, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, and Red Wings. He also boasts 73 points (49 goals, 24 assists) in 121 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Tarasenko won Stanley Cups with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and the Florida Panthers in 2024.
The Wild's acquisition of Tarasenko addresses their need for a scoring winger. Last season, the Red Wings missed the playoffs, but Tarasenko previously proved himself as a perennial 30-goal scorer, with 23 goals two seasons ago before winning his second Stanley Cup with the Panthers.
Tarasenko was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (16th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He spent 10 years with the Blues before being traded to the New York Rangers midway through the 2022-23 season. He then split the 2023-24 campaign between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers before signing with the Red Wings on July 3, 2024.
For the Red Wings, trading Tarasenko clears $4.75 million in cap space. With this additional cap space, Detroit now has approximately $23 million available, giving them more flexibility to potentially pursue a big-name free agent or extend Patrick Kane's contract. Some reports indicate that Steve Yzerman may have aspirations to bid on a player like Mitch Marner.
The Wild's general manager, Bill Guerin, now has approximately $13 million in cap space to work with as free agency approaches. The team is expected to target a center to bolster their roster.
Tarasenko is expected to play in a top-six role for the Wild. It remains to be seen how the Wild's lines will ultimately be configured.
