<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/vladimir-tarasenko/1983">Vladimir Tarasenko</a> will stay in the Atlantic Division to start the 2024-25 season with the Detroit Red Wings, who announced they inked the veteran sniper to a two-year, $9.5 million contract on Wednesday.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HEADED TO THE TARASENK-SHOW!<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedWings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RedWings</a> today signed forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75M. <a href="https://t.co/ZLR93snIdW">pic.twitter.com/ZLR93snIdW</a></p>— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) <a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/1808606924138492124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>The two-year pact gives Tarasenko some job security after he signed a one-year “prove-it” deal with the Ottawa Senators last offseason. The 32-year-old showed he has gas left in the tank with 23 goals and 55 points during a campaign that ended in a trade to the Florida Panthers and a second Stanley Cup.</p>



<p>Detroit lost 90 combined points by letting wingers <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/david-perron/1338">David Perron</a> (Ottawa) and Daniel Sprong (unsigned) walk in free agency and will hope Tarasenko, formerly of the rival St. Louis Blues, can help cover the difference.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="142"></div>



<p>Tarasenko (6’1, 219 lbs) adds a heaviness to the Red Wings’ talented top-six that it previously lacked; star players<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/lucas-raymond/31783"> Lucas Raymond</a>, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/patrick-kane/305">Patrick Kane</a>, and<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/alex-debrincat/2699"> Alex DeBrincat </a>all scored at a better pace than the Russian last season but offer little in the way of physicality.</p>



<p>Now with his fifth team in three seasons, Tarasenko also brings a winning pedigree to a Detroit outfit desperate to return to the Stanley Cup Playoff.</p>



<p>Last season, the Wings thought they made the postseason for the first time since 2015 when Perron scored a dramatic goal in game No. 82, but a Capitals win against the Flyers meant it was all for naught.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Though the 293-goal-scorer Tarasenko completes a formidable forward group in the Motor City, fans will wonder whether GM Steve Yzerman has plans to improve their leaky defense, which cost them playoff hockey in 2023-24.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="143"></div>



<p>‘Stevie Wonder’ shipped out <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/jake-walman/2859">Jake Walman</a> earlier in the offseason to clear cap space, but after a rumored trade for New York Rangers’ captain <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/jacob-trouba/2099">Jacob Trouba</a> stalled out, the other shoe has yet to drop.</p>
