1/28/26 | The Athletic says that the Rangers are giving Panarin’s agent permission to negotiate a possible contract extension with teams that are interested.
1/26/26 | Friedman said on 32 Thoughts, “there are a bunch of teams doing their due diligence on Panarin on the ice and off, looking into him. Ducks, I think are one, an obvious connection there in Joel Quenneville. I don’t know who the leading candidate is, for one thing he has huge say over it and for another, as I mentioned, I think the Rangers are trying to get…Brock Nelson, the deal was Cal Ritchie, a first round pick and conditional third, there was a player who went with Nelson and Oliver Kylington went to the Islanders also, that is the kind of return they are looking for. I think the other thing, and I believe it more now, I think Panarin’s preference is to go with an extension. I do think there are some teams he would potentially go as a rental to, one of the teams he might be interested in as a rental, potentially, is Dallas.”
“The thing about Dallas is there ability to do anything with term probably depends on their decision on Jason Robertson and I think that becomes the question and until they sort out what happens long-term with Robertson, we’ll see if they are a long-term player for anything. But Anaheim could easily do a Nelson-type of deal. Washington I think could potentially do that, too. I’ve heard Washington prefers it with an extension….If you are comfortable trading for Panarin with an extension, I think that is different, but, again, as someone said to me: what does that extension look like? If it was 2×10 or 2×12 I think there would be a lot of people that would jump at it, but once you get into 4-5 years, I think that is where some people might get nervous. I always assume there are teams that are in there that I’m now aware of. People were like would he go to Vegas or Carolina and a lot of people wonder about Minnesota and I get very mixed messages on Minnesota for Panarin. I’ve got some people who think yes and and others who think that it isn’t happening, it’s just not happening. We have some idea of what the Rangers want, some idea of who is in there and some idea who might consider it without an extension and then what that extension would look like.”
1/24/26 | Elliotte Friedman said on Hockey Night in Canada that the Rangers are looking for the same kind of price for Artemi Panarin that Colorado paid last season for Brock Nelson from the Islanders.
Top prospect Cal Ritchie, a first round pick in 2026 and a conditional third round pick were the core pieces that went to the Islanders.
Friedman added, “It sounds like that is where the Rangers starting point is with Panarin right now. Part of this is also will he be willing to sign an extension, are there places, he has a no-move clause so he controls where he goes, but I think some of the teams are wondering could there be an extension as part of this. I think some of the teams that are looking around, Anaheim, there is a history with Joel Quenneville, LA has some decisions to make about their overall situation and where they are right now and where they truly are as a franchise and what an extension would look like. I think Washington with an extension and I think there are a bunch of other teams and I’m always conceding that I’m missing teams that are in on this but I think that is kind of where the market starts, the trade talks start and what Panarin is willing to do.”
Nelson was also a pending free agent.
Adam Rotter: That would certainly be an ideal price for Panarin and it’s not too far off from what Florida paid Philly for Claude Giroux. It’s essentially a package built around a former first round pick and a first this year or in the future. But it all depends on where he’s willing to go. Anaheim has those assets, though it’s hard to see them giving up any of their rcent high first round picks, LA not as many. Washington could match up but it wold be hard to see Panarin 3-4 times per season and possibly in the playoffs. But those seem like some of the teams with interest in Panarin but we don’t yet know if Panarin has interest in them.
If this is the price for Panarin then I’m guessing that the price for Vincent Trocheck is considerably higher. While Panarin is certainly the better offensive player, Trocheck is a guy that helps you win in the playoffs. I thought the Nelson deal would be the bare minimum for Trocheck and since Trocheck is under contract and not a player the Rangers have to move, Drury can hold a high price, see if it’s met and if not, try again in the offseason.