Vladimir Tarasenko keeps hanging around the free-agent market, and that lingering presence has made him one of the more interesting names for the Edmonton Oilers. He’s not being discussed because his game has disappeared.
A 23-goal season still matters. The strange part is that, weeks into free agency, no one has rushed to lock him down.
That’s exactly why Edmonton is worth watching here. Oilers Nation’s baggedmilk recently framed the ideal outcome as Tarasenko becoming so unwanted that the Oilers can land him for about half of what he wants, with the belief that a veteran-heavy room in Edmonton could handle whatever has followed him from stop to stop over the last few years.
On the ice, the appeal is easy to see. Tarasenko finished last season in Minnesota with 47 points, scoring 23 goals and adding 24 assists in 75 games.
That’s not star-level production, but it fits comfortably for a middle-six or bottom-six winger who still brings a dangerous shot. He’s also been tied to Edmonton all summer.
Elliotte Friedman has mentioned the Oilers as a possible landing spot, and the speculation has only grown since the first wave of free agency passed. Friedman also said that a few teams came back around on Tarasenko after the market settled.
From an on-paper standpoint, the fit makes sense next to Leon Draisaitl, whether that means a second-line look with Vasily Podkolzin and Draisaitl or a role on the power play with McDavid.
The real issue is cost. Baggedmilk’s “half of whatever he’s asking” line is where this conversation gets serious.
Tarasenko’s previous deal came with a $4.75-million cap hit over two years in Detroit, and if he’s still aiming anywhere near that number, Edmonton likely passes. Cap space matters, especially when it can be saved and used later.
PuckPedia has the Oilers with just under $6 million in projected cap space against a $104-million ceiling, which gives them room, but using it now changes what they can do at the deadline.
The encouraging sign for Edmonton is that the market may not support Tarasenko’s old price tag. One projection has him landing in the $2.5 to $3 million range on a one-year deal.
Another puts him closer to a short two-year contract at around $4.25 million annually. That’s still well below the kind of money that would make him a top-six bet, and it lines up with the idea that he’s become a bargain option rather than a headline signing.
Anthony Mantha’s $4.75 million per season for two years is part of that comparison, and Tarasenko’s lower goal total suggests he should come in cheaper.
There’s also the question of fit off the ice, or at least in the room. Friedman has hinted that some teams cooled on Tarasenko after the early rush of free agency, and the sense is that he’s carried some friction from place to place.
Edmonton, though, looks like a team built to absorb a veteran without letting it become a problem. This is a group with two straight trips to Stanley Cup contention and a core that has already been through plenty together.
That kind of environment can make a difference when a player’s reputation starts to matter as much as his production.
No one is talking about Tarasenko as a 30-goal answer at this stage. But on a short-term, team-friendly deal, he makes sense as a depth scorer with a proven shot and enough left in the tank to help. If the price stays in the range the market seems to suggest, this is the kind of move Edmonton can justify quickly.
And if Tarasenko really is sliding into unwanted territory, the Oilers may be the team best positioned to turn that into a bargain.
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