The New York Rangers continue spinning out of control like a helicopter that’s lost its rear rotor. After team GM Chris Drury penned a heartfelt letter in which he basically told the fanbase the team will be heading down the drain, reports have surfaced that the club will not be bringing back impending UFA Artemi Panarin.
In a January 16 piece, notable insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed that the Rangers would not be offering a new contract to Panarin. According to Friedman’s sources, Drury informed Panarin that he would work with his agent to facilitate a trade.
“According to several sources, before releasing the letter, Drury met individually with members of the leadership group and addressed the team as a whole. As part of this retool process, Artemi Panarin was informed that he will not be offered a contract extension, and that Drury was prepared to work with him and agent Paul Theofanous to trade the winger anywhere he wishes to go.”
The news doesn’t really come as a mind-shocking revelation. Talk of Panarin leaving Broadway has been making the rounds for months. Just about every contending team has been linked to Panarin in one way or another.
Now, it just seems like the trade is only a matter of time. The biggest hurdle will be getting Panarin to waive his no-trade clause. With full knowledge that he’s no longer in the organization’s plans, Panarin must either accept a trade or ride out the season and cash in during the summer.
The former is perhaps the best course of action. As commentator Nick Kypreos pointed out about a week ago, Panarin could pull a “Marchand.” Agreeing to a trade to a Stanley Cup contender could exponentially elevate his value, landing the Russian star the deal he covets.
Last season, Brad Marchand agreed to waive his no-trade clause to head to Florida. The veteran won a cup with the Panthers, a move that translated into a six-year deal.
That’s arguably the best path forward for Panarin at this point, as he gets set to split from the Rangers.
Rangers with zero leverage in Panarin trade
Now that a Panarin trade is an inevitable outcome for the Rangers, the biggest question becomes where the 34-year-old will land.
Regardless of where Panarin ultimately lands, the fact is that the Rangers have zero leverage in such a negotiation. The main reason is Panarin’s no-trade clause. If the Rangers’ leading scorer chooses to play hardball, he could hold the Rangers hostage for the remainder of the season.
If he plays nicely, he could jump at the first offer the club gets from a contender. For instance, some chatter has brewed about Panarin heading to the Minnesota Wild to join fellow countryman Kirill Kaprizov.
At that point, the Wild could pretty much lowball the Rangers. It would make no sense for the Rangers to dig their heels in because Panarin holds the final word. Suppose Panarin makes up his mind that he wants to go to Minnesota, then the Rangers are essentially up a creek without a paddle.
Minnesota is just an example of what could become a painful next few weeks for the Rangers and Chris Drury. The clock is ticking to make a deal before the roster freeze ahead of the Olympic break. Perhaps the Rangers might be able to get something done before the February 4 deadline.
Otherwise, the trade will have to wait until after the Olympics. But judging from chatter, the Rangers could be looking to move Panarin out as soon as possible.