HIGHLIGHTS
- Rangers told Artemi Panarin he won’t receive a contract extension
- GM Chris Drury will work with Panarin’s agent to trade him anywhere he wants
- Read below for details on potential landing spots and trade return
The Rangers dropped a bombshell on Artemi Panarin just before sending out their retool letter to fans on Friday.
GM Chris Drury sat down with Panarin and reportedly told him straight up: no contract extension is coming. Instead, Drury said he’ll work with Panarin and his agent, Paul Theofanous, to find a trade to any team he wants.
Panarin’s in the last year of his seven-year, $81.5 million deal from 2019. The 34-year-old Russian has an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-move clause. This means he controls his own fate.
Breadman has been lights out this season with 51 points in 47 games, but the Rangers are dead last in the Eastern Conference. The writing is basically on the wall.
Friedman pointed out Panarin could just play out the year and hit free agency in July. But now he’s got seven weeks before the deadline to pick where he wants to chase a Cup.
The Rangers should still get a big return for Panarin, even with his age and expiring deal. He’s producing at an elite level, and any contender would jump at the chance to add that kind of firepower.
Friedman said Colorado made a big push for Panarin back in 2019 free agency, offering about four years at $13 million per. The Avalanche are sitting on top of the league right now.
Other fits out West include Dallas, Vegas, and Edmonton. In the East, Detroit makes sense with Panarin’s old Chicago buddy Patrick Kane there.
This is the second retool letter the Rangers have sent fans in eight years. Panarin was supposed to be part of the solution after the first rebuild. Now he’s the biggest trade chip in the next one.
