4 players acquired near the NHL trade deadline who already made a significant impact for their new teams

Vladimir Tarasenko is already impressing in Sunrise

Vladimir Tarasenko was already making quite an impression for most of the season with the Ottawa Senators, but the team suffered through so many struggles that his production was nothing special, with 41 points in 57 contests, adjusted for a solid 59 points throughout an 82-game season. But that hasn’t been the case so far in Sunrise, where Tarasenko already has three points and two goals across his first pair of games. 

He’s only logged an average of 14 minutes and 19 seconds of ice time so far, but that number could rise in time if he continues to find the net or at least the open linemate. While Florida is a much better team than Ottawa, Tarasenko’s possession metrics throughout those first two games have been nothing short of lights out, with an offensive zone starting percentage of just 31.3 percent, yet his Corsi For Percentage is an incredible 56.9 at 5-on-5. 

That number is something to keep an eye on as the Florida Panthers continue their quest to reclaim the Eastern Conference Championship, but offense hasn’t been the only impressive area of Tarasenko’s play. He hasn’t been on the ice for a goal at 5-on-5 in those first two contests, and his hard-hitting play is already matching what is a physical team that is averaging nearly 27 hits per game.