Rangers, Panarin Stuck in Limbo as Olympic Roster Freeze Looms
GREENBURGH - The clock is ticking, and the New York Rangers know it. With the NHL’s Olympic break roster freeze set to hit at 3 p.m. Wednesday, the team has just hours to find a resolution to the Artemi Panarin situation - or they’ll be stuck in a holding pattern for another three weeks.
The freeze lifts on February 22, but the real deadline is March 6. That’s when the NHL’s trade window officially closes, and if Panarin isn’t moved by then, the Rangers will be left navigating the rest of the season with a franchise cornerstone who’s already been told his time in New York is up.
It’s been nearly three weeks since GM Chris Drury sat down with Panarin and informed him of the team’s intent to trade him. Since then, the star winger has been scratched - first sitting out a game on Long Island last Wednesday - and the team has been swirling in uncertainty ever since.
And let’s be honest: until this saga reaches its conclusion, it’s hard to imagine the Rangers moving forward in any meaningful way.
Panarin Holds All the Cards
Panarin’s situation is complicated by one key factor: his full no-move clause. That gives him complete control over where - or if - he goes.
For the Rangers, that means Drury can’t just take the best offer on the table. Any deal has to be approved by Panarin, which significantly limits the leverage New York has in trade talks.
And that’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re talking about a player of Panarin’s caliber. He’s 34, but he’s still producing like a top-tier forward - leading the Rangers in scoring this season, just as he has every year since arriving in 2019. With 321 career goals and 927 points in 804 games, his resume speaks for itself.
But in a retooling phase, the Rangers are looking to turn the page. The problem is, they’re unlikely to get anything close to fair value for a player who can dictate his destination and is on an expiring contract.
Possible Destinations - But Will Panarin Sign Off?
Several teams have emerged as potential landing spots: Washington, Detroit, San Jose, Florida, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Dallas have all been mentioned in league circles. Some are eyeing Panarin as a rental, others are reportedly interested in signing him long-term.
That brings us to the next big question: would Panarin agree to a trade without an extension in place, knowing he could hit free agency on July 1?
At one point, Florida seemed like the frontrunner. A reunion with Sergei Bobrovsky - his former teammate in Columbus and close friend - made a lot of sense.
But the Panthers are currently nine points out of a playoff spot and trending in the wrong direction. Would Panarin risk going there and missing the postseason entirely?
Only he knows the answer. Until he gives the green light, the Rangers are stuck.
Life Without Panarin - and It’s Not Pretty
In the meantime, the Rangers are trying to keep things together without their top offensive weapon. They haven’t won a game since Panarin was benched, dropping three straight and getting outshot in all of them. The offense has looked flat, the power play has sputtered, and the team’s overall rhythm feels off.
Head coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged the elephant in the room.
“I'd probably be lying to you if I said it doesn't have an impact,” he said when asked about the effect of Panarin’s absence. “These guys are human beings.
And of course, it does. The uncertainty is not easy.”
Sullivan pointed to the emotional side of the game - the friendships, the locker room bonds - and how business decisions like this one can weigh on a group.
“You care about each other and are friends. And so, you know, the business side of the game sometimes can be the most difficult.
We all understand it. It's what we sign up for… But it doesn't necessarily make it easy.”
Still, he praised his players for staying focused and “compartmentalizing” as best they can. With a rare three-day practice window before Thursday’s game against Carolina - their last before the Olympic break - the Rangers are trying to maximize the time they have.
“We're going to work hard every day,” Sullivan said. “We're going to try to continue to improve and get better.
This unique circumstance is providing opportunities for some guys. They need to look at that to maximize that opportunity through performance, and we will control what we can as a group.”
Panarin, for his part, is skating on his own and staying in touch with the team. Sullivan said the two spoke Monday and that “he’s good.”
But until the trade is made - or not - the cloud hangs over the franchise. Everyone knows the sooner this is resolved, the better.
Notes & Quotes
With three straight practice days on the schedule, Sullivan gave Tuesday off to several of his heavy-minute players. That included five of the top six forwards (with rookie Gabe Perreault the lone exception), top defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov, Braden Schneider, and Will Borgen, as well as goalie Jonathan Quick.
In AHL news, Hartford forward Brendan Brisson has been added to the league’s All-Star Classic as a replacement for Perreault.
The Rangers are in a holding pattern, and the league is watching. Will a deal get done before the freeze hits?
Or will this saga drag deep into February? One thing’s for sure: the Blueshirts won’t truly be able to turn the page until Artemi Panarin decides where - and when - he’s ready to go.