DETROIT RED WINGS SIGN VLADIMIR TARASENKO, TRADE ROBBY FABBRI

The Detroit Red Wings now have 'Showtime' with Patrick Kane and the 'Tarasenk-show' with their latest free-agent signing.

Detroit signed winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract with a $4.75-million average annual value, the team announced on Wednesday.

Following the signing, the Red Wings traded 28-year-old forward Robby Fabbri to the Anaheim Ducks with a conditional fourth-round pick in exchange for 22-year-old goaltender Gage Alexander. The Red Wings freed $4 million by trading Fabbri, who had 18 goals and 32 points in 68 games this past season.

Tarasenko is coming off a Stanley Cup championship with the Florida Panthers, which acquired him from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline. The 32-year-old from Yaroslavl, Russia, had 23 goals and 55 points in 76 games between the two teams, and he added five goals and nine points in 24 playoff games.

While Tarasenko's family resides in South Florida, he'll remain in the Atlantic Division and face the Panthers in Sunrise twice next season on Jan. 16 and April 10.

The Red Wings add a player who's had six 30-goal campaigns and has put up at least 50 points in each of the last three seasons – he's done so eight times overall in his career. In total, he's played 751 career regular-season games and has 293 goals, 336 assists, 629 points and two Stanley Cup championships with the St. Louis Blues and Panthers. He'll help the team try to improve on the scoring front after ranking ninth among NHL clubs in goals-for. 

Tarasenko will likely replace David Perron in the top-six forward group after the latter joined the Senators in free agency. Perron had 17 goals and 47 points in 2023-24.

Alexander, meanwhile, played for the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers last season. The Red Wings now have seven goaltenders under contract after also signing Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell in free agency.

Over in Orange County, the Ducks get another forward who can help the rebuilding team remain competitive in games, particularly after trading Adam Henrique at the trade deadline and losing Jakob Silfverberg to Brynas in the Swedish League. Fabbri has spent his career with the Blues and Red Wings so far, playing 398 games and recording 98 goals and 102 assists for 200 points.

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2024-07-03T22:34:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd