The Artemi Panarin rumor mill is heating up - and now, Tampa Bay is the latest team to enter the conversation.
With the New York Rangers star still under contract through the 2025-26 season on a seven-year, $81.5 million deal that includes a full no-move clause, any talk of a move is purely speculative at this point. But that hasn’t stopped insiders from connecting the dots, especially as teams with championship aspirations look for that one final piece to push them over the top.
On a recent segment for Daily Faceoff, Tyler Yaremchuk floated the Tampa Bay Lightning as a natural fit for Panarin, joining the likes of the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers as potential suitors should he ever hit the market. The logic? Simple: the Lightning are still in win-now mode, and Panarin could be the kind of elite addition that turns a playoff-caliber roster into a legitimate Cup favorite.
Tampa’s core is still very much intact. Victor Hedman continues to anchor the blue line, and up front, Brayden Point leads a forward group that recently added Jake Guentzel - a move that already signaled the Lightning’s intent to stay aggressive. Adding a dynamic winger like Panarin to that mix would raise the ceiling even higher.
“Tampa’s window is probably closing more than it’s opening,” Yaremchuk said. “But they’re still incredibly competitive… if you add Artemi Panarin to that roster, it’s a scary team.”
And he’s not wrong. The Eastern Conference isn’t quite the gauntlet it once was, and Tampa’s playoff pedigree speaks for itself. This is a franchise that knows how to take big swings when the moment calls for it - and Panarin, even at age 34 when his current deal ends, still projects as a game-changing force.
Former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton chimed in as well, pointing out that the fit might appeal to Panarin just as much as it would to the Lightning. Between the sunny Florida lifestyle and the chance to chase another Stanley Cup with a proven winner, Tampa checks a lot of boxes. And then there’s the Russian connection - namely, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
“Russian guys, they like to be together,” Hutton said. “There’s a good relationship there.”
It’s a subtle point, but one that matters. Familiarity, comfort, and chemistry off the ice often play a bigger role in a player’s decision-making than fans realize.
Of course, Tampa isn’t the only team keeping tabs on Panarin’s situation.
Earlier this week on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman named the Los Angeles Kings as a team to watch. While he acknowledged that Panarin has interest in playing for Florida, the Panthers’ salary cap situation makes a deal tough to navigate. The Kings, on the other hand, might be ready to make a serious push.
Friedman noted that internal discussions are underway in L.A. about whether it’s time to go all-in. If Panarin were to become available - and open to an extension - the Kings would have to consider it. And not just as a rental.
“It wouldn’t be a short-term thing,” Friedman said. “He takes us into the post-Anze Kopitar and potentially post-Drew Doughty era, another top player for Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala to have around. Probably plays with Quinton Byfield.”
That’s a compelling vision. Panarin’s playmaking ability would slot in seamlessly with L.A.’s young core, and with the Kings already flirting with contention, he could be the kind of long-term piece that helps bridge the gap between eras.
As for the contract outlook, league insiders believe Panarin still sees himself playing at a high level for at least five more years. That’s fueling speculation around a potential extension in the ballpark of five years at $10 million per season - or perhaps a shorter deal with a higher annual value.
“Now, one of the interesting narratives that’s come out the last few days is that he thinks he can play for five more years,” Friedman said. “We’re talking four times $12.5 [million], five times $10 [million] - that kind of range.”
Again, none of this means a trade is imminent. Panarin holds all the cards with his no-move clause, and the Rangers are very much in the thick of the playoff race. But as the deadline approaches and contenders start positioning themselves, the idea of Panarin in a new sweater - whether it’s Lightning blue, Kings silver, or something else - is a storyline worth watching.
Because if he does become available, expect the phones to light up. And expect the teams that believe they’re one elite winger away from a Stanley Cup to be first in line.