Artemi Panarin has been one of the most essential and productive players for the New York Rangers over the last seven years. Perhaps that is why he is baffled as to what general manager Chris Drury is doing.
Shortly before sending out a letter to the fan base on Friday, explaining that he is set to “re-tool” the roster after a horrendous first half of the 2025-26 season, Drury held a private conversation with Panarin, explaining that the pending free agent will not receive an extension offer from the team.
“It’s hard to say how I feel,” Panarin said on Saturday night following a rare 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. “I’m still confused, but the GM decided to go in a different direction. I’m OK with that.”
With the Blueshirts set to be sellers at the trade deadline as they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Panarin’s name suddenly shoots to the top of most trade boards, where he should fetch a hefty price even with him being in the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract.
The 34-year-old left-winger has 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in 48 games this season and has averaged more than a point per game during his Rangers career, which began in 2019-20. He is just two years removed from posting a career-best 120 points, and he has averaged 103 points per 82 games since arriving in New York.
Panarin has a full no-trade clause, which will allow him to dictate where he will go before the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline. The Rangers will undoubtedly work with him to find a deal with a contending team to offer him the best chance of winning a Stanley Cup this season — a common practice amongst many deadline sellers jettisoning top-tier veteran talent. For example, it is what the Islanders did with Brock Nelson last season when they sent the franchise great to the Western Conference juggernaut, the Colorado Avalanche.
While Panarin’s impending exit eliminates the team’s best forward and playmaker, Drury’s vision is not to invoke a full-scale rebuild.
“This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects,” Drury’s letter read. “We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks, and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
