Thursday marks the NBA trade deadline, but it was the Rangers making a major splash on the ice.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Blueshirts agreed to a deal that would bring Vladimir Tarasenko to the Blues, a former Stanley Cup champ and another scoring threat for the Rangers.
The return from New York wasn't initially reported.
Tarasenko, 31, requested a trade from St. Louis back in 2021, and with the Blues out of contention, he gets his wish and joins a team in the thick of the playoff chase, and looking to make another deep postseason run.
The veteran and two-time All-Star has a no-trade clause, but previous reports indicated that Tarasenko would waive that if it meant a move to New York.
And unrestricted free agent next summer, Tarasenko has a salary of $5.5 million this season and carries a $7.5 million cap hit.
Tarasenko is years removed from being one of the league’s top goal scorers, as multiple shoulder injuries derailed his 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns. But he rebounded last season and played in 75 games, scoring 34 goals (his sixth time reaching that mark in his 10-year career), and hopes his health issues are behind him.
The Rangers will hope for the same, and hope they have added another dynamic scoring threat with playoff experience.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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