It’s mid-January, and the New York Rangers are already staring down the barrel of a lost season-and possibly the end of an era. The team that just two years ago looked like a juggernaut is now in full retreat, and big changes are on the horizon.
One of them? A future without Artemi Panarin.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers do not plan to offer Panarin a contract extension as the organization shifts into what it’s calling a “retooling” phase. That word-retool, not rebuild-is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now in New York.
The Rangers have dropped five straight and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 20-22-6 record. The product on the ice has been flat-out tough to watch-disconnected, inconsistent, and a far cry from the team that won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.
That squad felt like it was on the cusp of something special. But after missing the playoffs last season and now looking like they’ll do it again, the wheels are officially off.
The frustration has boiled over at Madison Square Garden. During a lopsided 8-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators, chants of “Fire Drury” rang out from the stands-an unmistakable message to President and GM Chris Drury that the fanbase has had enough. In New York, patience is short, expectations are high, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
Drury responded with a public letter to fans, posted to social media. It was candid, if not unexpected.
He acknowledged the disappointment, admitted the team had fallen short, and made it clear that changes are coming. Not a teardown, but a retool-one that will be “built around our core players and prospects,” with a focus on adding youth, speed, skill, and cap flexibility.
That means saying goodbye to some familiar faces. And yes, that includes Panarin.
Here’s the reality: Panarin is still producing at a high level. Even as the Rangers have stumbled, the 34-year-old winger has put up 16 goals and 51 points in 47 games this season.
That’s not just solid-it’s elite, especially in the context of the team’s struggles. He’s in the final year of the seven-year, $81.5 million deal he signed back in 2019, carrying a hefty $11.64 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause.
Any trade would require his sign-off and likely involve some financial gymnastics. But make no mistake-if he’s available, he instantly becomes the most coveted rental forward on the market.
Panarin has been a cornerstone in New York since arriving as a free agent. In 477 games with the Rangers, he’s tallied 202 goals and 601 points.
His 2023-24 campaign was nothing short of spectacular-49 goals, 120 points, and a fifth-place finish in Hart Trophy voting. He’s been electric, creative, and consistently among the league’s most dynamic forwards.
But this is where the crossroads becomes clear. The Rangers are pivoting.
They’re not blowing it up, but they’re not standing pat either. The front office is signaling a shift toward younger pieces, more flexibility, and a new identity built on tenacity and speed.
That’s not a knock on Panarin-it’s just the direction the team believes it needs to go.
As Drury put it, this retool “may mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.” And Panarin has certainly done that. But in a league where timing is everything, the Rangers are choosing to look ahead rather than hang on to what was.
The next few weeks will be telling. With the trade deadline approaching, all eyes will be on Panarin and the Rangers’ front office.
If a move happens, it’ll mark the end of a significant chapter in franchise history-and the beginning of a new, uncertain one. Either way, the message is loud and clear: the Rangers are done waiting.
Change is coming.