The Panarin Trade Echoes a Familiar Pain for Devils Fans
If you’re a New Jersey Devils fan, Wednesday’s blockbuster out of Manhattan probably stirred up some old emotions - the kind that never really go away. Because when the New York Rangers shipped Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings, the return package felt eerily familiar: a top-tier talent dealt for what amounts to a handful of maybes.
Sound familiar? It should. Devils fans lived it not too long ago.
Back in the day, when Taylor Hall - the franchise’s only MVP - was traded to the Arizona Coyotes, the return felt like a gut punch. There were dreams of landing a blue-chip prospect like Bowen Byram or Philip Broberg.
There was buzz around names like Vincent Trocheck and Spencer Knight. Even Connor Timmins was floated as a possibility.
Instead, the Devils got Kevin Bahl, Nick Merkley, Nate Schnarr, a 2020 first-rounder, and a conditional third in 2021. Not nothing - but certainly not the haul fans were hoping for.
Now fast forward to Panarin. The Rangers just sent their superstar winger, a player who’s been the heartbeat of their offense, to Los Angeles for prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick.
If the Kings make the Western Conference Final, the Rangers tack on a fourth-rounder. That’s the full return for a player who just signed a two-year extension and has been one of the league’s most dynamic offensive threats.
It’s not hard to see why Rangers fans are reeling. And Devils fans? We’ve been there.
The Hall trade came during a season that started with sky-high expectations. The Devils had just traded for P.K.
Subban and drafted Jack Hughes first overall. The vibes were good - until they weren’t.
The team unraveled, the season spiraled, and Hall was gone by December. The return didn’t move the needle, and the rebuild reset once again.
That sting of watching an elite player walk out the door for a return that feels light? That’s a special kind of sports heartbreak. And while Devils fans aren’t exactly shedding tears for their cross-river rivals, there’s a certain grim familiarity in watching it happen to someone else.
The parallels between the Hall and Panarin trades go deeper than just the disappointment. Both players were the centerpiece of their respective teams.
Both were shipped out midseason. Both returns were met with a collective “…that’s it?”
from the fanbase. And in both cases, the trades left more questions than answers about the direction of the franchise.
Now, let’s be clear - Devils fans aren’t lining up to offer hugs to Rangers faithful. But let’s be honest: not seeing Panarin in a Rangers sweater anymore?
That’s a win in itself. The guy torched the Devils for seven points in four games just two seasons ago.
Sure, New Jersey held him to just two assists in their seven-game playoff series in 2023 - a performance that had Rangers fans questioning everything - but Panarin was always a threat. Every time he touched the puck, you held your breath.
This season, the Devils haven’t faced Panarin yet, but that’ll change soon. Circle March 14 on the calendar - that’s when the Kings come to Prudential Center, and Panarin returns to Jersey, this time in black and silver.
It’ll be strange, no doubt. But it’s also a reminder of how quickly things can change in this league - and how sometimes, even the biggest stars get moved for less than expected.
So yeah, Devils fans know that feeling. That hollow, frustrated, “this was the best we could do?”
kind of feeling. And while no one in Newark is shedding tears for the Blueshirts, there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that, for once, it’s not us.