Vladimir Tarasenko and the Wild are riding his late-season surge
vladimir tarasenko delivered another decisive moment for the Minnesota Wild on March 21, scoring the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars at a crucial late point in the season. The veteran winger waited alone in the slot with just under two minutes left in overtime before finishing the play and celebrating with a fist pump and spin on the ice. The goal was his 20th of the season and helped push the Wild closer to securing a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot.
Tarasenko’s timing is changing the Wild’s outlook
That goal fit the pattern of Tarasenko’s March surge. He scored five goals in five games in mid-March, then added seven goals and 11 points in the final 15 games of the season starting March 15, while recording at least one point in nine of those games.
Tarasenko finished the regular season with the Wild with 23 goals and 24 assists in 75 games, giving him his first 20-goal season with one team since he scored 34 with St. Louis in 2021-22. His 23 goals were tied with Ryan Hartman for third on the team, behind Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, who each reached 40 goals.
He described the stretch as a matter of confidence and persistence. “It’s nice when the puck goes in, ” Tarasenko said in March. “I feel like there’s different parts of the season, sometimes the puck goes in, sometimes not. But I think the closer playoffs get, the more excited everybody gets. Happy to have that production and continue to improve. ”
vladimir tarasenko found his rhythm after a slow start
Tarasenko’s season did not begin cleanly. He had just two goals in his first 18 games before missing seven games with a lower-body injury in the second half of November. From there, his production steadily improved, including a season-high four-game point streak in mid-January and back-to-back multi-goal games in Toronto and Montreal.
He also reached a personal milestone, playing his 900th career NHL game during the March stretch. Tarasenko said the work never stops, even when the goals are coming. “If it goes well, you need to keep working, ” he said. “If it doesn’t go well, you still need to keep working and trust the process and trust myself. ”
What the move means after Detroit
Tarasenko scored 11 goals and 33 points with Detroit last season after signing a two-year deal with the Red Wings in the summer of 2024. The Wild acquired him in a trade on June 30, 2025, and the change has given him a fresh start on a roster that has benefited from his scoring touch.
The season has also reinforced why his playoff experience matters. A veteran winger with more than 300 NHL goals, Tarasenko has been a steady presence for a Wild team leaning on late-season production and timely goals. Bobby Brink, who assisted on the overtime winner against Dallas, said, “He’s been an incredible player in the league for a long time. ”
Tarasenko has now shown he can still drive results when space opens up and pressure rises. The Wild will now carry Vladimir Tarasenko’s late-season form into what comes next, with his scoring touch shaping how dangerous Minnesota can be if the run continues.
