Trade speculation surrounding Artemi Panarin is intensifying as the New York Rangers continue to struggle. New York currently sits second-last in the Metropolitan Division and is coming off a brutal 10-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Friday, only adding fuel to the rumors.
With playoff hopes fading, the Rangers could be forced to rethink their direction, and Panarin’s name has quickly emerged at the center of trade discussions.
Insider Connects Multiple Teams to Artemi Panarin Trade Talk
Panarin is entering the final season of his seven-year, $81.5 million deal and remains without an extension. According to reports, the Rangers floated a short-term offer modeled after Anze Kopitar’s two-year, $7 million per year contract with the Kings, but it failed to gain traction with Panarin.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman suggested that if a long-term agreement isn’t in the cards, the Rangers may have little choice but to consider the trade market seriously.
Friedman added that the situation would hinge on open, honest talks with Panarin and his camp about possible landing spots and what makes sense, especially given the no-movement clause in his contract. “You have to go to him and his reps and say, are there some teams we can work with here, are there places you’re willing to go,” he said.
Several teams have already come up in those conversations. According to Friedman, “You always wonder about a team like Florida. You wonder about a team like Washington. You think about places where Russian players might wanna go. Since the beginning of the year we’ve been wondering about Minnesota…. The other team I really wonder about is Colorado.”
He pointed out that when Panarin originally signed with New York, the Avalanche had offered him a short-term, high-value deal, spanning four years at $13 million per season. It is before they re-signed Nathan MacKinnon.
Friedman reiterated that if a contract extension can’t be worked out, the Rangers may have to put Panarin’s long-term interests first. “You have to sit down with him and say, ‘If it’s not work out here, can we work with you to get something and put you in a place where it will make you better for free agency’. That’s the kind of thing I wonder about,” he said.
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Despite the uncertainty, Panarin has continued to produce at a high level. He posted 49 points in 45 games this season.
For now, all eyes remain on what direction the Rangers choose to take. Up next, New York will face the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
