The Montreal Canadiens continue searching for a reliable top-six forward as they look to strengthen their roster for the upcoming season.
General manager Kent Hughes has explored several options, including earlier interest in Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with links to younger talents like Shane Wright and Elias Pettersson.
Yet Hughes has made clear he prefers to avoid pure reclamation projects this summer, focusing instead on proven contributors who can step in immediately.
Vladimir Tarasenko stands out as a player who fits that profile. The veteran winger posted 47 points in 75 games with the Minnesota Wild last season, continuing a career marked by consistent production.
At 34, he still offers the kind of experience and scoring touch Montreal could use while its core develops. What makes the connection particularly intriguing is a shared agent.
Tarasenko is now represented by Dan Milstein, the same agent who handles Ivan Demidov and several other Canadiens players. Milstein recently secured Demidov’s eight-year, $73 million extension in Montreal, underscoring his strong ties to the organization.
On The Sick Podcast, host Shayne Gaumond raised the possibility of Tarasenko landing in Montreal because of those agent connections.
Analyst Jimmy Murphy agreed, saying, “I think he definitely could. And you just established all of the reasons why right there. The familiarity with that agent, who’s obviously got a lot of players involved with the Montreal Canadiens. It seems [Milstein] is set on building a Russian mafia within the Canadiens dressing room.”
Murphy also highlighted Tarasenko’s versatility beyond pure offense. “I just think, yeah, he’s a versatile guy. Everyone thinks offense when you think of Tarasenko, but he can get back and help out [in defense] a bit. I just think if you’re looking at the UFA market, and you’re looking for a plug-in piece, he is the best plug-in piece for the Montreal Canadiens at this point.”
Insider Marco D’Amico has similarly urged Hughes to pursue the Russian forward, framing him as a low-risk, high-reward addition.
Projections from The Athletic’s Chris Johnston suggested Tarasenko could command a one-year deal around $3.3 million, a figure the Canadiens can comfortably absorb under the salary cap after his previous two-year, $9.5 million contract in Minnesota.
While Montreal’s preference remains a younger long-term piece, Tarasenko offers a sensible Plan B. He could slide onto the second line alongside Demidov, bringing both scoring and leadership to one of the league’s youngest teams.
For a franchise still building toward contention, that combination of reliability and chemistry could prove valuable.
