The New York Rangers are looking to make some serious headway in their incipient retool. After shipping out Carson Soucy to the Islanders, the expectation is that a major move could be coming down the pipeline sooner rather than later.
There has been ongoing chatter about pretty much everyone on the roster. Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafrenière, and Mika Zibanejad, with some even suggesting that Adam Fox could be on the block.
But the real story is Artemi Panarin. Yes, it’s only a matter of time before Panarin goes out the door. Numerous teams, trade pitches, and rumors have flung around. However, one deal would make a ton of sense for the Rangers.
That would be landing Shane Wright from the Seattle Kraken. Unfortunately, that’s a trade that won’t likely tickle Panarin’s fancy.
The Rangers want and need to get younger. Wright is a 22-year-old former fourth-overall pick. He hasn’t really hit his stride in Seattle, prompting discussion about a change of scenery. While he could top last year’s 19 goals and 44 points, his struggles this year might prevent that from happening.
Of course, a 1-for-1 deal involving Wright and Panarin wouldn’t make sense. The Kraken would need to offer some incentives to get the deal done. But the fact is that the ongoing chatter in Seattle posits that the Kraken want a top-six scorer to boost the club.
That’s precisely what Panarin brings to the table. He’d easily jump into the Kraken’s top line and play big minutes. The roadblock here is that Panarin may not be willing to waive his no-trade clause to head to Seattle.
The Kraken are not Stanley Cup contenders at this point. They aren’t even a lock to make the playoffs. They don’t have an emerging core like the Utah Mammoth and are probably closer to selling than buying. In short, that’s not a scenario that Panarin has in mind. If anything, Panarin has an eye for a club more like the Dallas Stars or Florida Panthers, who are much closer to the Cup than anyone else.
Landing Wright in a Panarin trade would make a ton of sense for the Rangers. But Panarin won’t likely go for that idea.
Rangers involved in another trade idea with Seattle
Another trade idea floating around, one that even insider Elliotte Friedman brought up, was a swap of former top picks between the Kraken and Rangers. Specifically, that swap would involve Alexis Lafrenière and Shane Wright.
On paper, that’s a trade that makes a lot of sense. These are two players who could certainly use a change of scenery. Plus, swapping a former first-overall pick for a former fourth-overall selection really isn’t a stretch.
Lafrenière doesn’t have any trade protection this season and next. So, if there was a time to move Lafrenière, it would be now.
The hitch here would be if a 1-for-1 is something both sides would really want. Sure, the Rangers would like Wright in their lineup. But would Lafrenière truly be that top-six scorer they want?
It would be a gamble on both sides. The Rangers could get a solid center toeventually replace someone like Trocheck or Zibanejad. Meanwhile, the Kraken could unlock Lafrenière's talent in a less pressurized environment.
There are no guarantees, unfortunately. But fans shouldn’t rule out this move entirely. Perhaps a 1-for-1 swap may not be in the cards. A much larger deal, nonetheless, could be something both sides might explore down the line.