The invasion of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers continued on Wednesday, with the Detroit Red Wings signing winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million.
Tarasenko, 32, is the sixth player from Florida’s Game 7 roster to leave as a free agent, a common theme across the NHL as other teams look to replicate that success. The winner of the 2019 and 2024 World Cups will have $4.75 million against the salary cap during the 2025-26 season, a deal that features a no-trade clause in the first year and limited protection in the second year.
He joins three-time champion Patrick Kane on the Red Wings as they try to end the franchise’s worst playoff drought in eight seasons. Kane re-signed for $4 million with $2.5 million in additional incentives.
After adding Tarasenko, Detroit traded one of his former St. Louis Blues teammates, sending forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to Anaheim for 22-year-old goaltender Gage Alexander.
Tarasenko scored five goals and had four assists in the Panthers’ run to the Panthers’ first title in franchise history after joining them before the trade deadline.
Sam Reinhart raised $69 million in eight years and the core led by Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov remains intact. Young forward Anton Lundell, a restricted free agent, signed a six-year, $30 million contract earlier in the day.
Of course, without an infinite space limit, it is not possible to keep them all. Brandon Montour signed in Seattle, fellow defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and backup goalie Anthony Stolarz in Toronto and forwards Ryan Lomberg in Calgary and Kevin Stenlund in Utah. Josh Mahura, a regular on the Panthers’ blue line in their run to the 2023 Finals and who played 30 games for them during the regular season, is reuniting with Montour after signing a $775,000 contract with the Kraken.
Among the league’s other signings on Wednesday, Philadelphia re-signed RFA forward Bobby Brink for $3 million over two years, while Columbus signed veteran defenseman Jack Johnson for next season for $775,000.
“Jack Johnson is a consummate professional who has been a very good player and leader in this league for many years and will be a great asset to our team, especially the young defensemen we have in our organization,” said general manager Don Waddell. “He is in excellent shape, plays a simple, tough game, has won a Stanley Cup and has great passion for this city and organization and we are excited to welcome him back.”
Johnson won the Cup with Colorado in 2022. Edmonton, which lost to Florida, is doing its best to copy the Panthers by winning a year after falling just short in the final. The Oilers lost just a few depth players — forwards Warren Foegele and Sam Carrick and defenseman Vincent Desharnais — and brought back Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Troy Stecher and Calvin Pickard, all free agents.
“I think all these guys believe in their teammates,” hockey operations CEO Jeff Jackson said earlier this week. “All those guys that came back told me everything I needed to know about this team, and we’re happy to have all those guys back.”
Jackson and the front office also signed veteran forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner and replaced Desharnais with 30-year-old Josh Brown. The Oilers and Panthers are the early co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2025, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“Just to have the chance to win,” said Henrique, who took a pay cut of almost 50% to stay. “I think the group there is a special group. I had so much fun being a part of this year and I just wanted more of it.”
