The New York Rangers are ready to move on from some players in an effort to build a younger team. General manager Chris Drury announced that the Rangers were entering a "retool," meaning they were willing to move on from some of their top players in hopes of bringing in younger players and adding additional draft capital. The big name that is likely to be traded away is winger Artemi Panarin.
Panarin is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and contract negotiatons with the Rangers have ended. While the Rangers could get a haul for a couple of months of Panarin from a playoff contender, Panarin has full say in where he can be traded to due in part to his full no-trade clause. Given Panarin has the chance to win his first Stanley Cup title, it'd be hard to envision him not accepting a deal to a top team.
ESPN NHL reporter Emily Kaplan discussed potential landing spots for Panarin on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast. One team that Kaplan listed as a "sneaky team" for Panarin is the Washington Capitals, the Rangers' Metropolitan Division rivals.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan says Capitals a 'sneaky team' for Artemi Panarin
This would be absolute nightmare fuel for Rangers fans. The one thing fans don't want to see is one of their top players get dealt or leave for a division rivals. New York sports fans know it all too well, with the latest example being Saquon Barkley leaving the Giants for the Philadelphia Eagles and immediately winning a Super Bowl title. Imagine if Panarin were to go to the Capitals for the rest of the season and win a Stanley Cup? Rangers fans would likely be sick to their stomachs.
The Capitals are attempting to build off of a strong 2024-25 season, one in which they fell short of their second Stanley Cup title. This season, the Capitals are 24-21-8 through 51 games. With 54 points, they are just four points back of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
It's important to note that there's no inkling of Panarin's preference for a team, and if he'd even accept a trade to Washington. That will be up to him to decide. The good news for him is that there is over a month left until the March 6 trade deadline.
There's no denying that the Rangers would miss Panarin's production. Since signing him as a free agent back in 2019, Panarin has been a superstar for the team and a consistent performer in the regular season. This season, Panarin has 19 goals and 37 assists to his credit through 50 games. But since the Rangers have said the playoffs are not attainable for them, it makes sense for them to deal one of their best players to see what they can get in return.
Rangers fans could understand if Panarin goes to a team like the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars, considering they are in the Western Conference. But if Panarin were to want a trade to a division rival, it would make the rest of the season a hard watch for fans.