Will New York Rangers Trade Their Star To a Division Rival?
The New York Rangers are off to a rough start this season. They have lost six of their last seven games and are already falling far behind in the standings. New York is battling multiple injuries, on top of an already poorly constructed roster. If they continue to lose, GM Chris Drury will have to make some tough decisions at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Will the Rangers Trade Their Key Players?
The biggest question heading into the season for the Rangers was a potential extension for star Artemi Panarin. He is in the final year of a seven-year contract he signed with the Rangers back in 2019. In this deal, Panarin is making over $11 million every season and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. If they don’t see Panarin in their long-term plans, Drury could look to move on from him at the deadline.
Frank Servalli said yesterday on Bleacher Report that the Carolina Hurricanes could be a potential fit for Panarin: “I could see Artemi Panarin as a Cane … we know they want to be aggressive. If the Rangers continue to hover at the very bottom of the standings, could they convince Panarin to go to the Hurricanes, and what would that look like? I think that would be a great fit.”
The more games the Rangers play, the higher the chances are of Panarin getting traded. Now the Hurricanes are hungry to add another star, but I don’t think he’s a good fit in Carolina’s system. Rod Brind’Amour likes players who are physical on both sides of the puck. Panarin is the complete opposite of that, as his strong suit is mainly on the offensive end.
What Other Team Is a Fit For Panarin?
If Panarin does indeed get moved, it will be on his own terms. He has a no-movement clause in his contract, meaning he gets to decide where he goes. Panarin had his best seasons with the Rangers from 2021 to 2024. In each of those seasons, he put up over 90 points. He had a career-high 120 points during the 2023 season.
The top fit for Panarin would be the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota’s chances of a Stanley Cup could be increased by a ton if they added an elite-caliber forward like Panarin. They would likely have to give up a significant package for Panarin, including multiple prospects and draft capital.
With the NHL Trade Deadline over four months away, we’ll see if the Rangers can get healthy and stay in the playoff hunt. New York currently sits in second-to-last place in the Metropolitan Division, but is still in the midst of a Wild Card Spot.
