Panarin Talk Heating Up as Rangers Narrow Down Trade Options

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 working the phones and talking to the dynamic forward about a deal that would send him where he wants to go and get the Rangers a solid return.

He’s got leverage and a hefty contract. So too, with Panarin set to become a UFA this summer, the Rangers will do well if they can work the demand from different teams as leverage, trying to pluck as many assets from another franchise in the trade as possible.

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 actively attempting to move Panarin. The star winger is more interested in going to a location he could see staying long-term, but the New York Rangers will present him with several options in the hope they can regain assets rather than risk losing him for nothing on July 1.

Panarin has 19 goals and 57 points in 52 games this season, and since arriving in New York, he’s posted 205 goals and 607 points in 482 games. That level of production makes him not only the most intriguing potential rental on the market, but also a player who could immediately alter a contender’s ceiling.

Artemi Panarin Rangers” class=”wp-image-92840″/>

Because Panarin carries a full no-movement clause, he and his camp control the process. Insiders believe his preference would be a trade that includes an extension, though there are scenarios where he’d consider joining a contender as a rental. 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 have loved 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 view Panarin as a finishing piece. The issue there is what happens with Jason Robertson. It feels like an either-or situation, not a both-and.

Vegas and Tampa fit the “glitzy contender” mold, while the Islanders remain a surprise name given the optics of an intra-market move.

Los Angeles is perhaps the most fascinating option. The Kings are starving for offense, ranking near the bottom of the league in goals, and face long-term uncertainty with an aging core (Anze Kopitar is retiring) and limited prospect depth. Acquiring Panarin without an extension would be risky, but if paired with a long-term deal, it could spark the beginning of their organizational pivot.

Ultimately, Panarin’s future hinges on two questions: where he’s willing to go, and whether a team is prepared to commit beyond this season.

Next: Could Senators Be the Solution to Oilers Top-Nine Forward Search?