The Washington Capitals have been brought up in rumors surrounding New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin for the past few weeks.
The Rangers recently made headlines when they announced that Panarin would be sitting out of their final games before the Olympic break for “roster management reasons.” With Panarin likely playing his final game for the club, his departure seems planned for sooner rather than later. According to hockey insider Elliotte Friedman, the Capitals are reportedly not likely to be his eventual landing spot.
“Washington, I think, is willing to do this with an extension, but I haven’t heard about them in a little bit,” Friedman said on Sportsnet’s The Fan Hockey Show. “Someone had said to me that it just didn’t seem likely.”
Previously, the Washington Capitals were listed as one of the two front-runners to land Panarin. The Rangers winger, who has a full no-trade clause, is said to be looking to sign an extension with any new team he lands with, potentially taking him to the age of 40.
The Rangers are reportedly looking for a Brock Nelson-esque return for their star player. Last year, the New York Islanders traded Nelson and minor-league winger William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche for Cal Ritchie, defenseman Oliver Kylington, a top-10 protected 2026 first-round pick, and a 2028 conditional third-round pick.
Friedman added that Panarin’s top preferred destination is the Florida Panthers, but still does not believe the Panthers would be able to make that work in terms of assets heading in the other direction and with the salary cap. Other interested teams include the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, and Utah Mammoth.
While Friedman may have heard that the Capitals making a move for the Russian forward is unlikely, a fellow insider, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, has kept the Caps in the mix. According to Pagnotta, the Capitals are willing to give him a three-year extension worth at or around $12 million per season.
Panarin has 56 points (19g, 37a) in 50 games for the Rangers this season and has recorded 80-or-more points in seven of his last eight seasons. According to PuckPedia, his current cap hit is just over $11.6 million, and he’s currently set for unrestricted free agency in July.
Trade activity in the NHL is expected to pick up ahead of the league’s Olympic-break roster freeze at 3 pm on February 4. No roster movement is permitted to resume until 11:59 pm on February 22, and the NHL’s official trade deadline is set for 3 pm on March 6.
