Panthers land Vladimir Tarasenko from Senators for 2 draft picks - ESPN

Already a Stanley Cup favorite, the Florida Panthers strengthened their chances Wednesday by trading for Ottawa Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Senators will receive a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick that would become a 2026 third-round pick if the Panthers win the Stanley Cup. They will also receive a 2025 third-round pick and are retaining 50% of Tarasenko's $5 million salary.

Getting Tarasenko provides the Panthers with a legitimate top-six winger whose playoff experience could help the club win the first title in franchise history. This season, he has scored 17 goals and 41 points in 57 games in what proved to be his only season with the Senators. His playoff experience lends itself in the form of a winger who has 44 goals and 64 points in 97 postseason games which includes the 11 goals he scored to help the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019.

With the NHL trade deadline approaching at 3 p.m. ET Friday, there was an expectation that the Panthers would be in play for a top-six winger and that Tarasenko could have been one of their options.

A pending unrestricted free agent, Tarasenko joined the Senators on a one-year contract in a move that was supposed to help the club return to the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. Instead, several items led to the Senators being unable to recover from a slow start. It ultimately led to them eventually firing their head coach and general manager in a campaign that will see them get a lottery pick.

His contract length coupled with the Senators' situation is what led to Tarasenko being among the most attractive options for contenders seeking top-six winger help. Plus, the need for those players intensified Tuesday with the defending Stanley Cup champion