Why the Avalanche Should Think Twice Before Making a Run at Artemi Panarin
The Colorado Avalanche are off to a blistering start this season - the kind of run that has fans dreaming of history. With a 34-5-8 record through 47 games and 76 points in the bank, Colorado is pacing ahead of the 2022-23 Boston Bruins, who set the NHL’s single-season wins and points record. That’s not just a hot start - that’s a potential all-time campaign.
Nathan MacKinnon is playing like a Hart Trophy front-runner, Cale Makar is doing Cale Makar things (read: Norris-worthy dominance), and goaltending - once the Avalanche’s Achilles heel - has become a pillar of strength. This team is humming. But with the trade deadline approaching and the Olympic roster freeze looming on February 4, the question naturally arises: Should Colorado push all their chips in and make a blockbuster move?
Enter Artemi Panarin.
The Rangers’ star winger is reportedly not getting a contract extension and will hit free agency this summer. That makes him the crown jewel of the trade market - a dynamic, point-producing force who could shift the balance of power for a contending team.
With a full no-move clause and an $11.6 million cap hit, Panarin’s not going just anywhere. But if he’s willing to waive for a shot at the Cup, the Avalanche would seem like an attractive destination.
And yet, as tempting as the idea is, this might not be the right time - or the right team - for that kind of swing.
The Cap Crunch Is Real
Let’s start with the math. As of January 20, Colorado has just $1.7 million in cap space, and that’s with Logan O’Connor on LTIR, Joel Kiviranta on IR, and both Devon Toews and Gabriel Landeskog out week-to-week. To bring in Panarin, who would instantly become the second-highest-paid player on the roster, the Avs would need to do more than shuffle a few contracts - they’d have to tear into the core.
We’re talking about potentially moving players like Samuel Girard, Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton, or Artturi Lehkonen just to make the dollars work. And even then, it’s not a simple plug-and-play scenario.
Several of those players have modified no-trade clauses, and there’s no guarantee the Rangers would want any of them in return. The cap gymnastics required to land Panarin would be extensive - and risky.
Draft Picks and Prospects? Not Much in the Cupboard
Even if Colorado wanted to build a trade package around futures, that route isn’t much more promising. The Avalanche spent big last deadline to bring in Brock Nelson and others, and as a result, they’re without a first-, second-, or third-round pick in the 2026 Draft. That leaves them with limited ammunition to compete with other suitors who may have deeper prospect pools or more attractive draft capital.
Unless Rangers GM Chris Drury is particularly enamored with Colorado’s remaining prospects or is willing to look ahead to future draft years, it’s hard to see the Avs putting together a top-tier offer.
Long-Term Implications
Let’s say Colorado finds a way to make the deal work. The next hurdle? The future.
Panarin turns 35 next season and is already carrying an $11.6 million cap hit. Even with the salary cap expected to rise significantly, the Avalanche already have a full plate when it comes to contract extensions. Martin Necas was recently extended at $11.5 million, and Cale Makar becomes eligible for an extension this summer - a negotiation that will likely command top-dollar and top priority.
Adding Panarin to that equation could force the Avalanche into a top-heavy roster construction, where a handful of stars eat up the majority of the cap space. That might work in the short term, but it often comes at the expense of depth - and in the playoffs, depth scoring wins games.
Is It Worth It?
There’s no denying Artemi Panarin’s talent. He’s a game-breaker, a player who can tilt the ice every time he steps on it. But for the Avalanche, the cost - in cap space, roster pieces, and long-term flexibility - might outweigh the reward.
This team is already built to contend. They’ve got elite talent at every level, a strong locker room, and the kind of chemistry that doesn’t come easy. Making a move for Panarin would mean disrupting that formula - and potentially mortgaging the future - for a player who, while still elite, is nearing the back end of his prime.
Colorado’s front office, led by GM Chris MacFarland and President of Hockey Ops Joe Sakic, has proven time and again that they know how to build a contender. This team doesn’t need a splashy move to prove it’s serious about winning. What it needs is smart, surgical additions that complement what’s already working.
Panarin may be the biggest name on the market, but sometimes the best move is the one you don’t make.