Panthers Drop Out of Panarin Race – With Favorite Gone, What’s Next?

It would’ve been a difficult sell for the Florida Panthers to justify making a trade to acquire Artemi Panarin as a rental this season. A long-term extension didn’t really make sense with the team’s current salary structure, and Florida is in danger of not even making the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.

The Panthers were trying to make the numbers work, and Panarin had interest in joining one of the two teams in the state. Still, the organization decided not to put its team further into a salary cap hole, according to Darren Dreger on The Sekeres and Price Show.

I was told…that Artemi Panarin is not a fit; they either can’t make it work cap wise…or just don’t necessarily feel like he’s the piece that they need.

Despite the Panthers not working out as a possible destination, their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are quietly becoming legitimate contenders.

Artemi Panarin’s Potential Trade Destinations

The Panthers aren’t the first team to fall out of the Panarin sweepstakes because of his ask to get a long-term contract extension. The Dallas Stars also decided not to make the move earlier this week, which takes away two major contenders for the Russian’s services.

It leaves teams like the Lightning, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, and Carolina Hurricanes as potential destinations. The Lightning and Oilers are two teams more reluctant to give Panarin an extension, but the winger might change course and accept a trade without those conditions for the right fit.

The Capitals and Islanders are two teams to watch that could meet the extension demands. New York could look to make a massive splash, and staying within the state to finish his career might be Panarin’s wish.

An outside-the-box team to still watch is the San Jose Sharks. While Panarin likely won’t win a Stanley Cup this season, an extension would put him in a position to win with the team’s young core at some point before he retires. Finishing his career on Macklin Celebrini’s flank while living in California might be appealing to the scorer.