Big changes are coming to New York. After the first-half of the 2025-26 season did not go as planned, Rangers general manager Chris Drury made his intentions clear to fans via a letter released last week, with “retool” being the key word used. Drury stated there will be some farewells bid to fan favourites, and it appears Artemi Panarin is at the top of that list after the GM reportedly informed his star winger the team won’t be offering him a contract extension.
Trading away the 34-year-old winger marks a massive shift for the squad. He’s been their leading scorer every season since signing his seven-year deal with the Rangers ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, and this year has been no different.
With 19 goals and 56 points to his name this season, and coming off an impressive 10-game point streak that came to an end in L.A. Tuesday night, Panarin’s offence is in fine form, making him a top candidate for contenders. We can assume there’s a long line of interested teams, though his $11.6-million cap hit will be a hinderance for many. Salary retention will likely be at play, at the right price, but what does Panarin want? That’s the biggest question. Panarin’s full no-move clause puts him firmly in control of his next stop, including whether or not he’s even traded at all.
With all that in mind, we’re looking at six potential destinations — three in the East, and three in the West — that present intriguing cases to land Panarin ahead of the trade deadline.
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This would be the very definition of “rich team gets richer,” but if you’re Panarin, surely Colorado is at the top of you trade destinations list, right? And if you’re Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland, you’ve probably placed a call to New York. Realistically, Colorado’s more likely trade target is a depth centreman — Brock Nelson slots in nicely behind Nathan MacKinnon, but the bottom six could use a little more veteran presence. But this year’s market isn’t looking too renter-friendly, so a boost at wing would be the next best thing.
Panarin’s presence would give head coach Jared Bednar a ton of flexibility up and down the lineup, not to mention a breath of fresh air on the underperforming power play. In three seasons since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Avalanche have been unable to get past the second round of the playoffs. Even a season as dominant as this one could use a reinforcement or two, especially considering how strong the rest of the division is this year. Speaking of which…
The Stars secured the top guy on the trade market in Mikko Rantanen last year, also locking him up long-term, and are actually well-positioned to do it again if they want to bring in another star. Should Tyler Seguin, who is currently on LTIR with a knee injury, be ruled out for the remainder of the season and the playoffs prior to the trade deadline, the Stars have space (with a little gymnastics and salary retention) to bring in Panarin. Picks aren’t exactly plentiful, but they do own their 2027 first-rounder. The cap situation opens up this summer, which makes them an intriguing candidate to also extend him, should they land him.
In terms of timing and opportunity, it makes a ton of sense. Dallas has been balanced on the brink of a championship for much of the last decade, falling short in the Western Conference Final the last three seasons. Could another big move for another big winger — imagine Rantanen and Panarin on a line together! — be the last piece of their puzzle? Bringing in Panarin would have the Stars’ top six looking like a Super Team, and that’s probably the only way anyone can catch Colorado.
Bringing in Quinn Hughes probably exhausted Minnesota’s trade capital, but the Wild remain on this list for the simple reason that, well, it would be really fun to see Minnesota land another massive name. The presence of Kirill Kaprizov makes Minnesota a destination both extremely intriguing — who doesn’t want to see what kind of creative playmaking Kaprizov and Panarin can drum up? — but also perhaps an unlikely candidate for an extension, considering Kaprizov’s cap hit and the club’s need for a centre more than another winger. Still, in a season that’s probably going to require another bold move or two to keep pace with Colorado, bringing in Bread Man would certainly fit the bill.
Over the course of general manager Steve Yzerman’s tenure, the Detroit Red Wings haven’t exactly been known for making waves on the trade market. Then again, they also haven’t been sitting atop the Atlantic at this point in the season. After standing pat at last year’s trade deadline — a decision captain Dylan Larkin later expressed frustration about — and missing the post-season down the stretch, is this the year the Red Wings make a move?
They’ve got a wealth of desirable prospects, all of their first-round picks, and oodles of cap space to play, but considering Yzerman’s strict determination to draft and develop, it’s hard to see him sacrificing much of that capital for a rental. The intrigue is there, though. A trade for Panarin would not only bring an elite offensive boost and a vote of confidence to this group, it would also mean a reunion for Panarin and his old pal Patrick Kane from their shared seasons in Chicago. The two were reunited in New York, too, when the Rangers brought in Kane at the deadline, but Kane’s health significantly hampered his ability to capitalize on any chemistry with his former linemate at the time. A redo could be fun.
The back-to-back champs aren’t currently in a position to rent or buy — they’re outside of the playoff picture, and strapped for cap space — but Panarin’s no-move clause means he’s got final say in where he goes, and if it’s a longer-term situation he’s seeking, Florida’s certainly been a popular landing spot of late. Panarin and Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky built a strong friendship during their days in Columbus, and both are pending UFAs come July 1. Draft capital is running low, though, so it’s worth wondering if the team waits until free agency to make any moves.
So much hinges on whether or not captain Alexsander Barkov comes back from his knee injury this season. His presence in the lineup would be a massive boost, though his cap hit back on the roster would rule out any big-ticket buying. Still, GM Bill Zito always seems to get his guy — so, if there’s a will, we can usually count on him to find a way.
Never shy to make a splash on the trade market, the Carolina Hurricanes are surely checking in on their division rival about an asking price for Panarin. After landing Rantanen last year, and ultimately flipping him after Rantanen declined to sign long-term, the Hurricanes could use a trade-deadline win. Whether they’re willing to rent is a big question here. They’ve got cap space now and next season, but Panarin controls his future.
If it’s a shot at winning he wants, the Hurricanes are there. Carolina sits atop the division, and considering how close they’ve come recently — five straight playoff runs extending beyond the first round — Panarin would be a top candidate to get them over the hump.
