The New York Rangers’ disappointing season has led to NHL rumors involving players like Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad. However, the Rangers did hire a great new head coach after firing Peter Laviolette and hiring Mike Sullivan.
This article will focus on the future of Panarin.

New York Rangers – Artemi Panarin

NHL Rumors: Per – David Pagnotta – thefourthperiod.com. Panarin is eligible for an extension, but a trade might come first.

Panarin is going into the final year of his seven-year, $11.6 million AAV contract, and is eligible for an extension on July 1st. He is ranked 5th in the NHL in points-per-game over the last six seasons, at 1.28, trailing only Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, and Leon Draisaitl. That’s pretty good company. So why trade such a talented player?

The Rangers need cap space.

Where Might Panarin Be Headed If Traded?

  • Anaheim Ducks – They have hired Panarin’s former head coach in Chicago, Joel Quenneville. Whether or not that becomes a deciding factor is yet to be determined. Former Rangers’ captain Jacob Trouba was traded to the Ducks last December. Will that be enough to persuade Panarin to head to the West Coast?
  • Los Angeles Kings – The Kings will be looking to improve their roster after once again being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers. Coincidentally, the Kings announced they have hired former Oilers’ general manager Ken Holland after firing Rob Blake. The Kings can also afford Panarin’s large deal with over $23 million in cap space to get a deal done. If this trade goes down, Panarin would join former Columbus Blue Jacket teammate Vladislav Gavrikov.
  • Calgary Flames – The Flames have over $27 million with which to convince Panarin to head to Calgary. Whether or not the Flames would give up assets without the ability to re-sign him may thwart a deal. He could be convinced to play with Jonathan Huberdeau as a positive factor.

Will New Head Coach Mike Sullivan Agree To Trade Artemi Panarin?

Sullivan was just hired on May 2, 2025. While he may not have been asked about a scenario of trading Parnarin, he would most assuredly like to have such a talented player remain on his bench. A scorer like him is not easy to replace. During Panarin’s 10-year NHL career, he has tallied 302 goals and 568 assists in 752 games. He has also added 24 goals and 45 assists in 82 playoff games.

Sullivan is accustomed to dealing with superstars like Artemi Panarin. On the other hand, Sullivan was hired to turn around the disastrous Rangers’ plight of late. Whether or not Sullivan would agree to move Panarin will be decided by general manager Chris Drury. He has shown no fear in moving former Rangers’ players like Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and Jimmy Vesey.

Panarin is no spring chicken and will turn 34 a month after the 2025-26 season begins. Is it time to move on from him, especially with his recent troubling off-ice story? He was accused of sexually assaulting a former team employee.

End Of NHL Rumors Artemi Panarin Rant

The Rangers will have a long list of things to sort out before the next season starts. They could be trading players to clean house and begin anew. Panarin may agree to leave New York and go elsewhere. It may be his best option. He is a valuable player, and depending on Drury’s outlook for the future roster, he may be dealt. If that happens, the Rangers should receive a substantial return. Say, perhaps the Los Angeles Kings’ Alex Laferriere, plus some high draft picks, could do the trick. Laferriere is just 23 years old and a rising star in the NHL. He had 19 goals, 23 assists in 77 games this past season.

In this writer’s opinion, the Kings may be all in to add a star like Panarin to their team. They are tired of being eliminated in the postseason, and Panarin could help there. If Panarin stays in New York, he may not like the extension deal he could be offered. The cap space limitations will decrease his aspirations to get a raise. The Kings have the money and a new GM, so don’t think that Ken Holland isn’t considering it.