Fans of the New York Rangers waited with bated breath to see where Artemi Panarin would get traded. He had been benched by the organization to preserve a trade for their star winger. NHL rosters froze at 3pm on Wednesday, meaning that no player can be traded or cut until after the Winter Games. Recent reports indicated that this deadline would be when Panarin ultimately gets dealt.
Panarin had all of the say in where he wanted to go, since he carried a full no-movement clause. The hope for Rangers fans was that they would get a premium return for their star. Right at the buzzer, the Rangers agreed to terms.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan and Adam Schefter were first to report that the Rangers were trading Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. The return for the Rangers was a conditional 2026 third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree.
ESPN sources: The LA Kings have acquired standout forward Artemi Panarin from the NY Rangers in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree, per me and @emilymkaplan. pic.twitter.com/2PuTENRhEH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 4, 2026
It's not exactly the gigantic return that Rangers fans were hoping for, but there wasn't much the team could do. Panarin indicated he only wanted to go the Kings, so the Rangers could only negotiate with them The draft pick isn't exactly ideal, but the team could focus on the prospect they are getting in return.
Who is Liam Greentree? What to know about the prospect Rangers receive in Artemi Panarin trade.
Greentree has been with the Kings organization since 2024, where he was selected 26th overall. He spent time with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL before declaring for that year's draft class at 18-years-old. In the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Greentree scored 61 goals and recorded 74 assists through 125 games.
Since being drafted by the Kings, Greentree primarily remained with Windsor, and had gone on a tear since. In the 2024-25 season, Greentree recorded 49 goals and 70 assists for 119 points through 64 games. If those numbers didn't impress you enough, Greentree had an absurd +55 plus/minus ratio. This season with the Spitfires, Greentree has 23 goals and 22 assists to his credit through 34 games.
The thing with Greentree is that he hasn't played in the NHL yet, let alone the AHL. Sure, the production is there in the OHL, but can it carry over to New York? So what is his projection and expectations?
The Athletic's Corey Pronman released his top under 23 players and prospects before the 2025-26 season. Greentree is ranked 87th on the list, with Pronman projected him as a "middle of the lineup" player. Here is what Pronmon writes in his rankings list about Greentree:
"Greentree was one of the top forwards in the OHL. He makes difficult plays often with the puck as a handler and passer, and possesses high-end creativity. He competes well enough and can use his size to get to the net, although I don't think he's the type who is going to run players over. He can score at the net and is able to finish from the faceoff dots. The main concern about Greentree is his pace. He's a lackluster skater, and his compete level isn't high-end enough to compensate. The size and skill combo is so good that he could still be a top-six winger, but I could see him frustrating coaches at times."
While the scoring does stick out for Greentree, he is far from a polished prospect, especially when it comes to skating. Ultimately, it will be up to the Rangers' development team and eventually head coach Mike Sullivan to ensure he can grow into a top six forward, especially with Panarin now gone and there being no superstars available next offseason.
The upside is there for Greentree, but he's far from a super prospect like Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini.