Artemi Panarin Traded to Kings: A Franchise Cornerstone Leaves Broadway for Hollywood
The Artemi Panarin era in New York has come to a close - and what an era it was. After seven seasons of dazzling play, jaw-dropping passes, and elite scoring touch, Panarin is heading west. The Rangers have traded their offensive centerpiece to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for top prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick.
It’s a seismic move, not just for the Rangers, but for the league. Panarin wasn’t just another high-priced free agent signing - he was the guy in New York.
From the moment he hit the ice in 2019, the Breadman was the beating heart of the Blueshirts' offense, leading the team in scoring every single season of his tenure. His 1.26 points per game is the highest in franchise history, ahead of legends like Mark Messier and Jean Ratelle.
That’s not just elite company - that’s rarefied air.
The Trade Breakdown
To Kings: Artemi Panarin
To Rangers: Liam Greentree, conditional third-round pick
The deal went down just minutes before the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze, with the Kings stepping up to land one of the league’s premier playmakers. In return, the Rangers receive Liam Greentree, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound power winger who was LA’s top prospect not currently in the NHL. Drafted 26th overall in 2024, Greentree has been continuing his development in the OHL, and the Rangers are clearly betting on his upside as they shift into a retooling phase.
The conditional third-rounder adds a little more value to the return, but make no mistake - this was all about getting something before potentially losing Panarin for nothing in free agency.
Why Now?
The writing had been on the wall. Panarin had been a healthy scratch in recent games under the vague label of “roster management,” and with the Rangers languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, the front office had a choice to make. Let Panarin walk this summer and get nothing in return, or make the move now and start stacking assets for the future.
That decision was complicated by Panarin’s full no-movement clause. He had complete control over where he went, and reports indicate there was only one place he was willing to go: Los Angeles.
Other contenders - including the Capitals and Hurricanes - reportedly made strong offers, but Panarin wasn’t interested. He had his sights set on Hollywood, and the Kings made it happen.
A New Chapter in LA
For the Kings, this is a statement move. They’re sitting just outside the playoff picture with 60 points, and adding Panarin to a forward group that includes Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and Quinton Byfield gives them a serious injection of firepower. This isn’t just a rental, either.
Shortly after the trade, Panarin signed a two-year extension worth $11 million annually, keeping him in LA through the 2027-28 season. It’s a short-term deal with a high AAV - a structure that gave the Kings the flexibility to make the trade work under the cap while still securing one of the league’s most dynamic offensive players.
The Rangers’ Franchise Icon
Panarin leaves New York with a legacy that’s hard to overstate. In his seven seasons on Broadway, he racked up over 600 points, consistently ranking among the NHL’s elite. He holds the Rangers’ record for the longest season-opening point streak and became the fastest player in franchise history to hit the 400-point mark - faster than Messier, Leetch, or Ratelle.
His 2019-20 debut season with the Rangers was a revelation: 95 points in 69 games, a Hart Trophy finalist finish, and a clear message that he was worth every penny of the seven-year, $81.5 million deal he signed that summer. That contract, by the way, came after he passed on bigger offers from Columbus and the Islanders. He wanted New York - and he delivered.
Panarin’s best statistical season came in 2023-24, when he exploded for 49 goals and 120 points, finishing top-five in MVP voting and earning First Team All-Star honors. That was the second time he’d been named to the league’s First Team (2020), with two Second Team nods (2017, 2022) also on his resume.
Even this season, at age 34 and in the final year of his deal, Panarin was still producing at a high level: 57 points in 52 games. But with the Rangers slipping in the standings and the future uncertain, the decision was made to turn the page.
What’s Next?
For the Rangers, this marks a shift in direction. General manager Chris Drury is clearly looking to retool rather than rebuild, and acquiring a promising young winger like Greentree is a step in that process. It also opens the door for younger players to take on more responsibility - and for the team to reshape its identity moving forward.
As for Panarin, he gets his wish. He’s headed to a team with playoff aspirations and a city that fits his star power. The Kings are betting that his elite vision, creativity, and production will be the missing piece to push them back into contention.
One chapter ends, another begins. Artemi Panarin’s time in New York may be over, but his impact won’t be forgotten anytime soon. And now, the bright lights of Broadway give way to the spotlight of Hollywood - and the Breadman is ready for his next act.