The Ottawa Senators are trading veteran scorer Vladimir Tarasenko to the league-leading Florida Panthers, Sportsnet can confirm.
The return to Ottawa was not immediately known.
The 32-year-old signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Senators before the season but has become expendable with Ottawa outside the playoff race at the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, the Panthers are currently sitting first in their division, conference and the league overall with 90 points.
Tarasenko has scored more than 30 goals six times in his career but has just 17 goals and 41 points in 57 games this season.
The Senators are set to face the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night and forward Matthew Highmore was recalled from the AHL’s Belleville Senators, seemingly as Tarasenko’s replacement.
Highmore, 28, has spent the majority of this season in Belleville, where he has recorded 29 points (nine goals and 20 assists) in 40 games.
In six appearances with Ottawa this season, he has one assist.
