Sources Say UFA Tarasenko and One Frontrunner "A Bad Match"

Nearly three weeks into free agency, and Vladimir Tarasenko is still out there. He seems to have badly misread the market. He recently changed agents right in the middle of the process, and since then one of the teams that's been interested in his services is the New York Islanders.

But according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, he's hearing that that might not happen, either. 

"One thing I heard is that (Tarasenko and the Islanders) is not a match... I looked into it recently, and I was told that some teams are going to have to clear money before Tarasenko makes his decision. 

"But I heard that Tarasenko and the Islanders are possibly a bad match and might not happen."

Friedman didn't elaborate, but for a team like the Islanders, who finished 22nd in the NHL in goals, 23rd in quality chances and 28th in offensive zone possession time, it's hard to figure how a six-time 30-goal scorer like Tarasenko would be a bad match. The 31-year-old, however, is coming off a down season in which he scored just 18 goals in 69 games. 

But one never knows what Isles GM Lou Lamoriello is thinking, and the team would still need to clear some salary cap space to make it happen. Friedman does offer that the Islanders are definitely "looking for another scorer."

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