Tarasenko Admits He Wanted to Get Away From Red Wings

Certainly, a constituency of Detroit Red Wings fans was thinking “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out” when word was breaking about the trade of forward Vladimir Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild.

Well, as it turns out, Tarasenko finds accommodating that wish to be a delightful occurrence.

“Yeah, we wanted a change,” Tarasenko told reporters on a conference call. “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.”

We have acquired right wing Vladimir Tarasenko from Detroit in exchange for future considerations. pic.twitter.com/YdyexgYu01

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) June 30, 2025

Tarasenko was brought into Detroit to bolster the club’s attack after 75 goals departed from the Red Wings’ 2023-24 roster. The six-time 30-goal scorer agreed to terms on a two-year deal as a UFA with an AAV of $4.75 million. Then he went out and scored just 11 goals, earning the ire of the Detroit fanbase in the process.

Taransenko Blames Grind For Lack Of Red Wings Production

Explaining his dropoff in productivity, Tarasenko cites the grind of the previous two seasons for wearing him down physically and mentally. During that span, he played for four teams – St. Louis, the New York Rangers, Ottawa, and Florida. He won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2023-24, leaving him with a very short recovery time before joining the Red Wings.

Since Detroit missed the playoffs, Tarasenko is enjoying a long offseason. He’s anticipating it will lead to better output from him as he debuts with the Wild.

🗣️ Vladimir Tarasenko on his want to play in Minnesota

"I will come and try to help the team in any way possible"#mnwild pic.twitter.com/iMyCaalafm

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 1, 2025

“I have a lot of time this summer,” Tarasneko said. “I think for the first time in my career, I have so much time to prepare for the season. It is possible to rest not only physically but also mentally.

“Whatever happened in the last couple of years, my family and I have no regrets. We are looking forward and opening a new chapter. As I said, I am very excited. I have always believed in myself. I feel like every year I have something to prove. So I am looking forward to it.”