Wild Emerging as Dark-Horse Suitor for Artemi Panarin?

Could the Minnesota Wild take a big swing before this season’s trade deadline? According to insiders Elliotte Friedman and Frank Seravalli, Minnesota might be a team to watch, specifically as a surprise landing spot for New York Rangers’ superstar Artemi Panarin.

Should the Rangers explore trading the star winger, the Wild have reportedly promised Kirill Kaprizov they will do what they can to find him a star to play with. Panarin could be that guy.

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Friedman speculated that the Wild’s front office may have told Kaprizov during their contract negotiations that they will continue to add high-end talent. That means getting in on conversations involving big free agents of needle-moving trades. Panarin would qualify in both regards. Seravalli agreed, noting that the Russian connection — and shared agent between Panarin and Kaprizov — makes the fit logical.

“I could see that,” Seravalli said Tuesday on Insider Notebook. “They’ve got cap space, and if they could find a way to make a reasonable deal, it could be an interesting fit.”

Panarin, 33, is in the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract and reportedly turned down a team-friendly, short-term extension offer from the Rangers. He’s looking to hit it big on an extension — potentially the last one of his career. If New York falls out of playoff contention, he could become one of the most coveted names ahead of the March 7, 2026, trade deadline. At the same time, the Wild have already proven they are willing to arguably overspend to keep their stars. Would they be among the few teams willing to give Panarin the kind of contract he might be looking for?

Despite his age, Panarin still has game. How long he can keep producing remains unknown and when his regression starts to occur is something all teams looking at him will have to consider before signing him. Still, he has posted over 90 in three of the last four years and he’ll be productive for the first chunk of any new deal. Alongside someone like Kaprizov, he could explode offensively.

That duo could be the recipe toward a Stanley Cup push for the Wild. It’s risky, but signing Kaprizov was the first sign the organization is willing to take risks.

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