Welcome back to another edition of NHL Rumours with us here at Last Word On Hockey. Today we venture to the Big Apple and the New York Rangers organization. We take a look at the recent discussion surrounding star Artemi Panarin‘s future with the club. The New York Rangers are off to a slow start this year, and the star forward is due for a new contract. Negotiations have stalled so far, and now rumours are flying through social media.
NHL Rumours with Artemi Panarin and his Future with the New York Rangers
Rumour: Reporter Frank Seravalli recently reported that the Carolina Hurricanes could be a landing spot for Panarin if the Rangers choose to trade him at the deadline. More recently, Nick Kypreos expanded on that idea. What is Panarin’s future with the Rangers? Will he stay in New York, or will another team like Carolina swoop in and trade for him, or sign him if he hits free agency?
Analysis: The Rangers have been subpar to begin the season, as they currently hold a 6-5-2 record and are eighth in the Metropolitan Division. New York has been dominating on the road, winning all six of their games away from MSG. However, when at the Garden, the results are completely different. The Blueshirts have yet to win a game at MSG, and they were unable to score a goal in their first three games at home. Panarin himself has been off to a slow start this season, scoring seven points in 14 games, much below his usual point-per-game pace.
Future with Panarin
However, Seravalli also notes that if the Rangers made the playoffs, an extension would most likely be in the picture. The price would be steep though, as Panarin has reportedly been seeking a contract similar to the one he is currently playing on, which is currently at $11.6 million a year. Considering the Rangers current cap situation, it could be difficult to keep Panarin around at that price if he is unable to repeat the production he’s put up the last few seasons. Panarin has had career seasons since joining the Blueshirts. His best season coming in 2023-24, when the Russian winger put up 120 points in 82 games.
Panarin is currently on the Rangers top line with captain J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad. Despite them being three of the Rangers’ highest paid players, the production has yet to come, as all three are under ten points this season in 14 games. The Rangers second, third, and even fourth lines have been generating more chances and scoring more points, than the first line so far this season. Centre Vincent Trocheck is out with an injury. He usually centres both Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière, an effective pairing for the Rangers, especially in 2023-24. So, perhaps losing Trocheck has been more of an issue for Panarin than it seems. Even so, Panarin is still the primary playmaker for the Rangers, and replacing him wouldn’t be easy.
Replacement Options
With Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov all signing extensions with their respective teams, the replacement options for Panarin are quite limited. Players of his calibre are hard to come by. The easiest (and most likely) option for the Rangers is Gabe Perreault, the Rangers first-round draft pick in 2024. Perrault played some games with the Rangers before the end of last season, and he was solid in training camp as well. He’s still very green, and there’s no way to know if he could put up the numbers Panarin does. Even so, he is young, cheap, and has a bright future ahead of him. Perreault is currently in the minors, and has scored 10 points in nine games. Good numbers, but could he replicate that at the NHL level?
Nick Schmaltz of the Utah Mammoth could be an interesting option for the Rangers. Schmaltz is up for a new contract, and Utah just recently signed forwards Logan Cooley and JJ Peterka, which could leave Schmaltz as the odd man out. So far this season, Schmaltz has been very good, scoring 17 points in 12 games. Is that a product of him playing with elite players? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t replicate those numbers with the Rangers. He will be 30 years old at the end of this season, so he is a little older than the Rangers would like, but younger than Panarin, who is currently 34 years old.
What Does It All Mean in NYC
The Rangers could also explore the trade market to look for a Panarin replacement. The Buffalo Sabers have some good forwards that could be looking for new homes, namely Alex Tuch. Tuch will also be an unrestricted free agent after this season, but a trade would guarantee that he lands with the Blueshirts.
The season is far from being over, and it’s possible that Panarin and the Rangers light it up the rest of the year and make the playoffs, leading to the Rangers extending him for the rest of his career. But as of right now, the rumor mill is chugging along, and Panarin’s future with the Rangers seems bleak.
Main Photo: Blake Dahlin – Imagn Images
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