The St Lous Blues have actually traded ahead Vladimir Tarasenko (half kept) and also defenseman Niko Mikkola to the New York Rangers for Sammy Blais, Hunter Skinner, a conditional 2023 first-round choice, and also a conditional 2024 fourth-round choice.
Vince Z. Mercogliano: Draft choice problems.
- “STL will get the later of the #NYR‘s two 1st-round picks between theirs and Dallas (NYR owns rights to both). If DAL pick ends up in top 10, STL gets NYR’s 2024 first-rounder instead.”
- “2024 4th-round pick becomes 3rd if NYR makes playoffs.”
Thoughts from the media
Dan Rosen: “The Rangers had been targeting Tarasenko because they feel he’s the best fit for their top-6 RW. They were worried about the asking prices for Patrick Kane and Timo Meier, plus the cap implications. Kane’s hip was also a concern. And Mikkola was a plus add in this trade too.”
Adam Gretz: “That is a comically cheap price for the Rangers, especially if the Blues are retaining half of Tarasenko’s contract.”
Andy Graziano: “You can be as salty as you need to be, but ….. Given the position the Rangers are in and what their needs seemed to be, Tarasenko is a major get. He can still snipe and should fit well with the established offensive talent they have already.”
Dennis Bernstein: “Been saying for weeks and reiterated again yesterday on @TheHammerHQ Edge Work pod, NYR RW depth wasn’t good enough to take team deep in post season. Tarasenko was a move they had to make.”
David Pagnotta: “Rangers have been in on Tarasenko going back beyond the off-season. NYR were one of the teams he was willing to waive NTC for, as I noted in yesterday’s column.”
Matt Porter: “Panarin-Zibanejad-Tarasenko are gonna cook.”
Kyle Cushman: “Going from Jimmy Vesey to Vladimir Tarasenko as your 1RW is a slight upgrade”
Cap Friendly: “Niko Mikkola is on the final year of a $1.9M contract. He has 3 pts in 50 games played and will be a UFA this summer.”
Tarasenko microstats this period thanks to AllThreeZones:
