The possibility of an Artemi Panarin trade is starting to feel less like idle speculation and more like an inevitability as the NHL Trade deadline approaches. According to multiple insiders, the New York Rangers are on the phone talking to the dynamic forward about a deal that would take him where he wants to go and provide the Rangers with a solid return.
He has influence and a strong contract. And with Panarin becoming a UFA this summer, the Rangers will also do well if they can leverage demand from several teams in an effort to pluck as many assets as possible from another franchise in the trade.
Here’s the latest.
The Rangers have already started making moves. Carson Soucy was traded to the New York Islanders on Monday night and GM Chris Drury is activeI’m trying to move Panarin. The star winger is more interested in moving to a location where he could stay long-term, but the New York Rangers will present him with several options in the hope that they can reclaim their assets rather than risk losing him for nothing on July 1.
Panarin scored 19 goals and 57 points in 52 games this season, and since arriving in New York, he has scored 205 goals and 607 points in 482 games. That level of production not only makes him the most intriguing potential tenant on the market, but also a player that could immediately change a competitor’s ceiling.
Because Panarin is under a complete ban on movement, he and his camp control the process. Insiders believe his preference is for a trade with an extension, although there are scenarios in which he would consider joining a contender as a loan deal. Teams reportedly linked include the Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings. Ideally, he would like to go to the Florida Panthers, but that seems unlikely.
Dallas is intriguing if cap gymnastics can be worked out. The Stars are built to win now and could see Panarin as a final piece. The problem there is what’s happening with Jason Robertson. It feels like an either-or situation, not a both-and.
Vegas and Tampa fit the “glitzy contender” model, while the Islanders remain a surprising name given the optics of an intra-market move.
Los Angeles is perhaps the most fascinating option. The Kings are hungry for offense, near the bottom of the league in goals, and face long-term uncertainty with an aging core (Anze Kopitar is retiring) and limited prospects. Acquiring Panarin without an extension would be risky, but combined with a long-term deal it could mark the start of their organizational pivot.
Ultimately, Panarin’s future depends on two questions: where he wants to go, and whether a team is willing to commit beyond this season.
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