insider lists several suitors for Artemi Panarin as the New York Rangers confirmed a trade is imminent
Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
NHL insider Darren Dreger has already listed several potential suitors for Artemi Panarin, as Chris Drury confirmed the New York Rangers will not be offering him a contract extension.
On TSN's Early Trading, Darren Dreger floated the next step if there's no extension, Panarin presenting a destination list. He even tossed out the usual contender types like the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Vegas Golden Knights.
That hit harder because, earlier Friday, the Rangers made it clear an extension is not happening. The message coming out is that Drury will work with Panarin and his agent to find a trade fit if the winger wants one.
According to several sources, before releasing the letter, Drury met individually with members of the leadership group and addressed the team as a whole. As part of this retool process, Artemi Panarin was informed that he will not be offered a contract extension, and that Drury was prepared to work with him and agent Paul Theofanous to trade the winger anywhere he wishes to go.
For a player like Panarin, the details matter more than the rumors. He's 34, he has a full no-move clause, and his $11.64 million cap hitmakes the math tricky unless New York retains salary or takes money back.
Where will Artemi Panarin be traded?
From the outside, Dreger's team names make sense because contenders want a game-breaker who can tilt a power play. Panarin still has 16 goals and 51 points in 47 games, and his passing off the left wall can change a series.
The cap puzzle is the whole story, though. Florida, Dallas, and Vegas all live tight to the ceiling, so any deal likely needs retention and a creative roster piece going back, not just futures.
Darren Dreger: If there is no extension that can be negotiated, is [Artemi Panarin] willing to present a list?; you always look at the normal teams, the Panthers, the Stars, the Golden Knights, maybe there's a couple other teams that would express interest - Early Trading (1/15)
Along with this, the Colorado Avalanche is another team that keeps surfacing as Elliotte Friedman resurfaced the fact that before Panarin signed with the Rangers the Avs offered him a deal of like 4x$13m.
For the Rangers, this is less about «selling» and more about choosing the next core. If Drury is serious about retooling, a Panarin move should bring at least one premium asset, plus flexibility that actually lasts past this spring.
However, Panarin holds the steering wheel, and the final decision will be his.
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