Going into free agency Vladimir Tarasenko was one of the most well-known players on the market. He has been one of the most impactful players ever since he entered the league. In 11 seasons in the NHL, he scored 262 goals and 291 assists, giving him 553 points. Sure he’s had some injury concerns in the past however, he’s only missed 20 games over the past two seasons. With all this considered, Tarasenko is supposed to be one of the most popular targets on the free agent market.
Now it was reported early on in the free agent process that Tarasenko had reached an agreement with the Carolina Hurricanes. Now the terms of the agreement were never reported however everyone just assumed that he was a Hurricane. That was until yesterday bombshell was dropped that Tarasenko had fired his agent. Essentially, making any report about him signing inaccurate.
How This All Happened and What Happens Next
After it was reported that Tarasenko had fired his agent. Larry Brooks of the New York Post was able to figure out what happened.
So what happened is Tarasenko had many offers from many different teams. The Hurricanes probably had the “best” offer for Tarasenko which made everyone believe he was going to take the deal. But as we know now, that was not the case. Tarasenko probably felt that these offers weren’t close to what he felt he deserved. Tarasenko has reported to be looking for a 7.5 average annual value. Since he couldn’t get it, it caused him to fire his agent, and essentially start the whole process over.
So where do we go from here? Well, he is now represented by JP Berry and Pat Brisson of CAA. CAA is one of the most important agency groups in the NHL. They represent some of the biggest names in hockey, including guys like Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane. Since they have managed some of the biggest names in hockey, they know how to get big contracts. They know how to negotiate with teams and get what they and the player they’re representing deserve.
Now even though Tarasenko has rejected several contract offers, there are still several teams interested in him. The main one to watch is the Ottawa Senators. The Senators have expressed interest in Tarasenko however don’t have the cap space to sign him. In order to sign him they’re going to have to trade Alex DeBrincat. Other teams to watch would be the Carolina Hurricanes, St.Louis Blues, and New York Rangers. Regardless this race is just heating up.
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