The New York Rangers didn’t have much impact, and the LA Kings will need to find a center this offseason
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said the Los Angeles Kings’ main priority this season will be finding a center to replace Anze Kopitar, who is retiring after the season.
Artemi Panarin’s agent, Paul Theofanous, had indicated to the Rangers in the final hours before the 3 p.m. trade freeze that the Kings would be the only team for which Artemi would waive his freedom of movement clause.
“But the big thing here and the reaction from other NHL teams was, wow, just a two-year extension. How did the Kings do that? That’s the kicker here for LA: It’s not a four-year extension. It’s not a five-year extension. It’s two years times $11 million a year. And that’s the real icing on the sundae for the LA Kings. Makes a lot of sense to them.”
NHL Trade: New York Rangers trade Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings
Chris Johnston adds that Panarin’s inertia negated any influence from Rangers, which is why the return looked disappointing – Liam Greentree and conditional picks in the third and fourth rounds.
Moving Panarin now gives Rangers GM Chris Drury more time to focus on trading other players.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will weigh the contract’s asking price against the potential trade return
TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs will take the Olympic break and the next three weeks to gauge interest in their upcoming UFAs and a few others, according to Darren Dreger. General Manager Brad Treliving will also talk to some agents about their UFAs to get a feel for the numbers, if possible, and weigh that against any potential trade returns. Some other Canadian teams will do the same.
NHL Rumors: Rangers, Sharks, Capitals, Panthers, Lightning and Blue Jackets
“So it’s not just about Toronto. I mean, there’s a lot going on in Toronto right now. Certainly, there’s going to be a lot coming out of the break. But look at Winnipeg, look at Calgary, look at Vancouver, all Canadian clubs that have to make big decisions.”
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