So, Vladimir Tarasenko wanted to leave the Detroit Red Wings? Good. Because to be frank, fans didn't want him here in the first place after how poorly he played in 2024-25.
In a recent call with reporters, Tarasenko said, “Yeah, we wanted a change. The trade happened. I don’t even know what else to say. Probably to most questions about the past, I’ll say that the past is behind us.”
Tarasenko served as all a helping of fools gold, and will go down as one of the biggest free agent busts of the Steve Yzerman era. And it's not like Yzerman's had a good track record with signing free agents.
That said, Tarasenko's time in the Motor City was memorable for all the wrong reasons. And we can only hope newbies like James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, John Gibson, and Jacob Bernard-Docker don't rehash all of Tarasenko's shortcomings.
Tarasenko "wanted a change," and so did Red Wings fans
In so many ways, you'd think this would be like some kind of nasty breakup. But to be real, with Tarasenko wanting out and Red Wings fans wanting him out, this one's more like a "mutually parting ways" situation than anything else.
Tarasenko proved early that he was no real fit for the Red Wings. And while he showed the occasional flashes, there was really nothing to celebrate about his time in Hockeytown other than the trade for future considerations.
And when that's the case, it's pretty sad. The expectation was for Tarasenko to come in, bring a championship-caliber mindset and experience, similar to what we saw from Patrick Kane. Tarasenko was supposed to log top-six minutes, or at least close to, and put up 50-plus points.
Instead, he did none of that, and he showed little interest in trying again. But, that wasn't to the chagrin of Red Wings fans. In fact, a lot of them probably celebrated when Steve Yzerman dumped his salary for future considerations.
Tarasenko replacements are guaranteed to fare better in 2025-26
There are a few players who could ultimately replace Tarasenko in 2025-26. The first is James van Riemsdyk, an NHL lifer who, while not the same player he was, could end up with a good 15 goals this year. If he snags that number, he did his job.
Then, there's Elmer Soderblom, who has 20-goal potential. Soderblom found the net four times last season and put up 11 points in 26 games. But he's only heading into his age-24 season in 2025-26, and has the potential to make a jump, especially if he can stay healthy.
Regardless of who ultimately replaces Tarasenko, know this: It ain't gonna take much to at least match Tarasenko's production. And, should everything else at least hold equal, it'll lead to better on-ice results for the Wings in 2025-26. And that's why you can laugh at Tarasenko's comments, Wings fans.
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