Rumors are flying everywhere. Names like Chris Kreider, K'Andre Miller, and Kaapo Kakko are flying around, Jacob Trouba was sent to Anaheim, Igor Shesterkin got extended, and there was a question raised recently about someone arguably more pivotal to the organization than all of them. Artemi Panarin left money on the table to come to New York; he wanted to play in this city, but he's an unrestricted free agent in 18 months. Is there a scenario where trading him before this deadline makes sense?
In theory, the Rangers are still competing for the Stanley Cup and want to remain competitive. In reality, three wins in the last eleven games suggest that the Rangers may need to change a few things to get the best out of this group of players. Panarin is one of the best players in the league, and everyone wants to retain their star forever, but Panarin's already 33, and he'll need a new contract going into his age 35 campaign.
Panarin already makes over $11.5 million against the cap, and the Rangers committed more than $12 million yearly to Igor Shesterkin. Is Panarin now supposed to take a discount when he'll have a 120-point season in his back pocket to negotiate with? He might walk away if Chris Drury doesn't want to pay the asking price of Panarin, which raises the question of trading Panarin.
There's no denying by asking Panarin to waive his no-movement clause, the Rangers would signal the end of his time in New York, but Panarin would also net New York a ton in terms of assets. Knowing New York needs to consider the asset management side of the game if they cannot re-sign Panarin, suddenly, the New York Rangers are in a position to make a trade that could change the NHL landscape with one of the best players in the league.
Now, this is all redundant if Drury thinks he can get Panarin extended without damaging the team. A good Panarin contract is good for the franchise and the city. Keeping one of the NHL's stars in the iconic Blueshirt of the New York Rangers is an achievement we can all wish for, but that isn't a certainty at this point. If Drury can't get it done, the Rangers may have to look at flipping him, and it's one of those situations where moving a star player is a possibility.
I've said this before, and I'll repeat it: Artemi Panarin is the heartbeat of the New York Rangers. Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin are massively important; the depth and coaching are vital, but without Panarin, it's all irrelevant. He's the one who answers when the Rangers need a goal in a big moment. He's the one Ranger who's looked like he's playing to his highest level through all these struggles. He's the one that can hold his head high, but you can't risk losing him for nothing.