Ottawa Senators sign forward Vladimir Tarasenko to one-year contract

The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a one-year contract, the club announced Thursday evening.

Tarasenko, 31, collected 18 goals and 50 points in 69 games split between the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers during the 2022–23 regular season.

The six-foot-one winger, who shoots right but plays the left side, added three goals and an assist in seven games as the Rangers fell to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Vladimir’s a natural goal scorer,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Thursday. “He’s a dynamic player who can score from anywhere in the offensive zone, as well as an underrated playmaker who’s made a career out of driving offence for he and his linemates.

“An established performer in the regular season and in the playoffs, we’re thrilled to add a player of his calibre to our lineup,” Dorion added.

Tarasenko’s new contract with the Senators carries a $5 million cap hit. The Rangers did not retain his services as a pending unrestricted free agent after acquiring him from the Blues ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.

News Release: The #Sens have signed forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a one-year, $5M contract: https://t.co/ppb8H1AT1b pic.twitter.com/AXsTVMOZkh

— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) July 27, 2023

The Blues originally selected Tarasenko in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. The Yaroslavl, Russia product spent parts of his first three post-draft seasons in the KHL before joining the Blues in time for the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season.

Tarasenko quickly emerged as a star forward in St. Louis, surpassing 30 goals in five consecutive seasons between 2014–15 and 2018–19. He racked up 11 goals and 17 points in 26 playoff games with the Blues in 2019 as they captured their first Stanley Cup.

After two injury-plagued seasons, Tarasenko set new career highs with 48 assists and 82 points with the Blues in 2021–22. On February 9, 2023, the Blues traded Tarasenko to the Rangers alongside defenseman Niko Mikkola in exchange for forward Sammy Blais, defenseman Hunter Skinner, and a 2023 first-round pick (Theo Lindstein).

Through 675 career games over parts of 11 NHL seasons with the Blues and Rangers, Tarasenko has collected 270 goals and 574 points. He’s added 44 goals and 64 points in 97 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

Tarasenko now joins a Senators team that swapped out Alex DeBrincat for Dominik Kubalik and a collection of additional pieces earlier this summer. Ottawa finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 39–35–8 record in the 2022–23 season.