FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Vladimir Tarasenko had his first workout with his new Florida Panthers teammates Thursday, although there were few introductions.
Tarasenko knows several Panthers players, either from previous teams or from spending his offseasons working out with them.
The 32-year-old was traded to the Panthers from the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, waiving his no-trade clause to jump into what he hopes will be a deep playoff run.
“It is exciting to come to Florida, I know a couple of the guys here,” Tarasenko said Thursday. “This team plays with emotion, and they are a hard-working team with a lot of skill. They are hard games to play against, so I am very excited to join this side here. I am going to do everything I can to help.
“This team has a chance to win the Stanley Cup.”
Tarasenko has almost exclusively played right wing during his NHL career, but he does shoot left so the Panthers will start him on that side of their top line with center Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart.
He has 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 57 games this season and 615 points (287 goals, 328 assists) in 732 games for the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Senators. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.
“We figure if there are eight new things you’re dealing with on your first night, might as well have nine,’’ coach Paul Maurice said of Tarasenko switching sides.
The Panthers, who host the Philadelphia Flyers at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, NBCSP), have won six in a row and 16 of their past 18 (16-2-0) to vault to the top of the NHL standings (43-16-4).
The energy level at their morning skate was noticeable, not just because of the winning streak.