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With the February 4 roster freeze and the March 6 NHL trade deadline approaching, trade rumors surrounding Artemi Panarin have started to pick up steam.
Quickly after New York Rangers President and general manager Chris Drury released a letter outlining the team’s plan to revamp the roster. It was reported that Drury held a one-on-one meeting with Panarin and informed him that the Rangers had no plans to re-sign him after this season and would look to trade him wherever he wanted to go.
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Panarin’s seven-year contract, worth $81.5 million, is set to expire this summer as he will become an unrestricted free agent if a contract extension is not signed by July 1.
In a potential deal for Panarin, the Rangers are reportedly looking to get a return similar to what the New York Islanders received for Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche.
“That’s the name that everyone is focusing on right now and if you remember last year, Brock Nelson was traded from the Islanders to Colorado and the trade was for Cal Ritchie, a first rounder and a conditional third rounder, there were other players involved, but those were the key pieces, and it seems like that’s where the Rangers’ starting point is with Panarin right now,” said Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Which teams could benefit from Panarin’s services?
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Friedman links a few specific teams to Panarin, including the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals.
It’s unclear if he’d be willing to waive his no-move clause to any of those three teams or if he has a preference on where exactly he’d like to end up.
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“I think some teams are looking around, Anaheim,” » said Friedman. “Panarin has a history with Joel Quenneville, I think Los Angeles has some decisions to make about their overall situation, where they are right now and where they really are as a franchise and what an extension would look like, I think Washington with an extension, and I think there’s a bunch of other teams, I still admit I’m missing teams in that area, but I think that’s kind of where the market starts, the trade talks start and some teams are trying to figure this out. that Panarin is ready to do.
In 51 games this season, the 34-year-old forward has recorded 19 goals, 37 assists and 56 points, averaging 20:51 minutes.
