The New York Rangers are off to a bumpy beginning, sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division, led by teams like Pittsburgh and New Jersey. This can not be considered a season in which they were expected to bounce back. They have faced a major drop from being the President’s Trophy winner in the 2023-24 season.
They have a 5-5-2 record, and a lack of consistent offense is slowing their progress. They are averaging just 2.33 goals per game. Part of the problem is forward Artemi Panarin’s reduced offensive production, who is in the last year of his contract.
Could Kirill Kaprizov’s $136 Million Deal Affect Artemi Panarin’s Future?
Trade talk around the Rangers has grown after Kirill Kaprizov signed a massive eight-year, $136 million contract with the Minnesota Wild. His $17 million annual cap hit has caught attention across the league and may influence future deals, including that of Artemi Panarin.
Panarin, known as the “Breadman,” is in the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million deal. He carries an $11.6 million cap hit and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The 34-year-old remains one of the team’s top players, but his next deal could depend on how this season unfolds.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Rangers are not rushing into talks about a new contract.
“The New York Rangers have a ton of respect and appreciation for what Artemi Panarin has done for them,” LeBrun wrote. “But for the moment, my sense of the situation is that it’s very early in the season under new head coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers want to see how things go and therefore are not in a hurry to get going more seriously on talks to extend the pending UFA winger.”
LeBrun added that the term of a new deal could become a problem. “If and when those talks get going again in a meaningful way, term may be the issue,” he explained. “Panarin turned 34 on Thursday. I don’t think he’ll be open to a short-term deal, which would probably be the Rangers’ preference.”
The same agent, Paul Theofanous, represents Panarin and Kaprizov. LeBrun talked about it and said that while Kaprizov’s extension set a high bar, the situations are different.
“The Rangers are not nearly as desperate to get a deal done,” LeBrun wrote, saying that Panarin is older.
Still, Kaprizov’s new contract may affect how Panarin’s camp approaches negotiations. For now, the Rangers are focusing on their season under Sullivan. Panarin remains a crucial part of the team, but his future will likely depend on how both sides view the years ahead once negotiations begin.
