We’re still a good few weeks from the NHL trade deadline, but the New York Rangers made some noise on Thursday with a big add.
No longer is Vladimir Tarasenko a life-long St. Louis Blue, as the Rangers traded for the 31-year-old forward in quite the blockbuster deal. Tarasenko’s name was no stranger to the trade block over the years, but with his contract set to expire in the summer, the Rangers jumped on the chance to add a prolific scorer to their ranks ahead of the playoffs.
As the dust settles on this surprising early February deal, let’s break down the details of the Tarasenko trade and give out grades to both the Rangers and Blues!
The details
This is a pretty beefy trade, so strap in.
- Rangers get: F Vladimir Tarasenko (50 percent salary retained), D Niko Mikkola
- Blues get: F Sammy Blais, D Hunter Skinner, 2023 first round pick (conditional), 2023 fourth round pick (conditional)
The conditions on the two draft picks are quite complex, so here’s the breakdown from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.
The Blues are retaining at 50 percent of Tarasenko’s $8 million salary.
Conditions of draft picks:
2023 1st round pick either NYR or Dallas; if Dallas has Top 10 pick will shift to next year and be later of two
-2024 4th round pick becomes 3rd if NYR make playoffs this season https://t.co/SMx0ch1jPy
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 9, 2023
New York Rangers
Rangers grade: A
You couldn’t have asked for a better complementary piece to play alongside Artemi Panarin if you’re the Rangers. Tarasenko’s numbers may be down this season — 10 goals and 29 points in 38 games — but I chalk that more up to the Blues’ lifeless play than anything. Putting Tarasenko on the first line wing with Panarin to dish him the puck is a surefire way to increase your goalscoring, that’s for sure.
Getting the Blues to retain 50 percent of Tarasenko’s $7.5 million salary for the rest of the season is fantastic as well, which lets general manager Chris Drury have a bit more flexibility in case they want to add elsewhere. With the Rangers’ salary cap going forward, Tarasenko is likely a pure rental as he’ll be a UFA this summer, but it’s a price well worth paying given what he brings to the table here.
The Rangers didn’t lose any significant prospects in this deal either, and giving up a conditional first in this year’s draft was always going to happen for a player of Tarasenko’s caliber. Overall, a job really well done here by the Rangers to add an exceptional talent in Tarasenko without sacrificing any major pieces going forward.
St. Louis Blues
Blues grade: C
The biggest thing to note is that the Blues will likely be getting a first and a third out of this trade when all is said and done, since the Rangers will most certainly make the playoffs and fulfill the pick condition. That being said, it’s hard not to feel underwhelmed by this return if you’re a Blues fan. The draft picks are good, but the rest is a mixed bag.
Blais played 54 games with the Rangers over the last two seasons and ended his time with zero goals and nine total points. That’s all while playing an average of 10 minutes a night, mind you. Hopefully returning to St. Louis — who drafted him in 2014 — will do Blais good, but you kind of know what you’re getting with him by now.
Skinner, on the other hand, is a fourth round pick who has yet to play in the NHL, so it’s hard to gauge his impact going forward.
At the very least, the Blues are now in a great spot to lose a lot of games and boost their lottery pick potential in the spring. Having two first round picks this season in a deep draft is solid work, but the Blues definitely get the short end of the stick here in this trade given the immediate impact Tarasenko will have on his new, playoff-bound team.
