Report: Penguins have made offer to free-agent Tarasenko

The Pittsburgh Penguins are among the clubs with interest in free-agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko, according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic.

Yohe reports the Penguins spoke with Tarasenko's camp on both of the first two days on free agency, but are believed to have made a lower offer than other suitors. Instead, the Penguins are putting the focus of their pitch on the idea of Tarasenko playing alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. 

Tarasenko, 32, is coming off his second career Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers last month. He was acquired by Florida from the Ottawa Senators ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for two draft picks.

The 6-foot-1 winger recorded 23 goals and 55 points in 76 games last season split between the Senators and Panthers. He added five goals and nine points in 24 playoff games as the Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Tarasenko is coming off a one-year, $5 million deal he signed with the Senators in July of 2023.

According to CapFriendly, the Penguins have $4.24 million in cap space with 20 players signed for next season. Pittsburgh has $2.8 million tied in retained salary after holding on to a portion of Reilly Smith's contract in Monday's trade with the New York Rangers and last year's Jeff Petry trade. 

Drafted 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2010, Tarasenko has 293 goals and 629 points in 751 career games split between the Blues, New York Rangers, Senators, and Panthers.