Panthers Should Not Pursue Vladimir Tarasenko

The veteran has helped Florida before, but is now the time for a reunion?

Apr 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game between the Stars and the Wild at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Florida Panthers are set to begin their new season on Tuesday, September 29. They wrapped up their preseason on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lighting. With that, every game afterwards will count.

But much like last season, the team will be going into the season facing injuries. Although they won't be anywhere near as bad as last season, there are still holes to be filled. Brad Marchand's injury from last season is causing him to miss all of October.

Jonah Gadjovich will be out indefinitely due to a neck injury. Brady Tkachuk is day-to-day with an injury but should be ready for Game 1 of 84 on Tuesday.

As a result of the injuries, head coach Paul Maurice and general manager Bill Zito are looking at options to make it work until the team is at full health. According to David Pagginota, the team could look into forward Vladimir Tarasenko. The veteran is currently unsigned as the season is set to begin, and still has ties to South Florida.

In 2024, he joined the Panthers for their first-ever Stanley Cup Championship, and he made a solid impact, with five playoff goals.

But bringing him back does not seem to be in the best interest of both parties, since the Panthers are not in the same place, with the same needs, as they were then.

The Panthers Have No Cap

For starters, the team is working with very limited resources when it comes to cap space. As a matter of fact, the team has negative cap space, over $895,000 to be exact. Even if they decide to bring him in at league minimum, it still would only put them in the hole even further.

Youth Should Be Served

During the preseason, some of the young guns made good impressions. This includes guys like Cole Reinhardt -- though Reinhardt was surprisingly waived Sunday. Still, they could be looking to plug an upcoming prospect from last season such as Sandis Vilmanis, and keeping him active even after Marchand returns.

Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (10) kisses the cup after winning game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

In turn, this will make it much harder for Tarasenko to find his place in the lineup. While he does have a fantastic resume, it may not pan out if Maurice wants the next generation to start sooner.

How Long Would He Be Here?

Tarasenko is not the same guy who helped win the Stanley Cup for the St. Louis Blues back in 2019. He's 37 years old and has bounced around a few different franchises late in his career. If he were to sign him to a contract, how long will the Russian forward stick around for? Zito is looking for options to keep the Cup window open long-term.