In response to a question stating the Rangers as the favorite to land Artemi Panarin this summer, Elliotte Friedman said, on the 5/16 31 Thoughts Podcast, “I don’t know if I would call them the favorite for Panarin, everybody is wondering about Florida.”
Friedman said that he thinks the Rangers would definitely be in the mix for Panarin but adds that Joel Quenneville becoming the coach of the Florida Panthers has “thrown a wrench into that.” (Sportsnet)
Quenneville coached Panarin in Chicago for two seasons and Friedman noted that people around the league think that if Florida wants both Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky “then they might actually get them both.” (Sportsnet)
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Scott Burnside, in The Athletic, listed Panarin as a target for the Rangers and someone who would be the “best fit” for them.”
Larry Brooks wonders in the NY Post if the Rangers should go after Panarin, possibly try and trade for Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin or not add either player and keep cap flexibility during the rebuild.
He notes that Malkin, while 33 to Panarin’s 27, only has three-years at $9.5 million per year left on his contract, compared to the likely seven-year and possible cap hit of $11 million for Panarin, but that the Rangers likely wouldn’t part with “any of their most prized possessions” to get Malkin. (NY Post)
Computer projections for Panarin’s next contract indicate a cap hit of $10.6 million on a seven-year contract.
Both Panarin and Bobrovsky went to Miami for a vacation following the Blue Jackets elimination in the playoffs. (The Athletic)
The Panthers are believed to have the “green light” to spend up to the salary cap for next season. (The Athletic)
Pierre LeBrun writes that the Blue Jackets appear open to the idea of traded Panarin and/or Bobrovsky to a team in order to recoup. some assets. (The Athletic)
TSN ranked Panarin 10th on their trade bait board.
Adam Rotter: There are people around the league speculating that the Panthers are not going to let either Bobrovsky or Panarin get to July 1 and that they would be willing to possibly send a roster player to Columbus in exchange for those two players and the opportunity to give them eight years. Others believe that if Panarin does get to July 1 then the Rangers are the favorites with the Panthers in a very close second.