Panarin Opens Up on Rangers Exit: “I Felt Like They Didn’t Want Me”
Artemi Panarin is no longer a New York Ranger, but the sting of how things ended still lingers - for him, and likely for fans in Manhattan. In a candid Zoom call with reporters, the star winger pulled back the curtain on what led to his departure, and his words paint a picture of a fractured relationship that had been quietly unraveling for months.
Panarin didn’t mince words when discussing the Rangers’ approach to negotiations. “I don’t know if I should say this,” he began, “but I feel like their offer said, ‘We’re not sure if we want you or not.’
That’s why I’m not signed.” According to Panarin, there were some follow-up talks during the season, but “not much.”
The message was clear: the Rangers weren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet to keep him in blue.
That lukewarm approach seemingly set the tone for what came next. The Rangers, coming off a rough 2024-25 campaign, appeared ready to pivot - and Panarin, who saw his production dip from 120 points to 89, found himself on the outside looking in. He started slow this season, and though he’s hovering around a point-per-game pace, it’s a far cry from the elite-tier numbers that once made him the centerpiece of the franchise.
There’s a fair argument to be made that the Rangers, seeing that decline, were hesitant to commit long-term. But if that was the internal calculation, their execution left a lot to be desired.
Rather than making a decisive move early or working collaboratively toward a solution, the organization let things fester. The result?
A star player who felt unwanted and confused, and a trade return that left many wondering what could have been if the situation had been handled differently.
Panarin Wanted Stability - and the Rangers Couldn’t Offer It
For Panarin, this wasn’t just about hockey. It was about life.
He made it clear that he wasn’t interested in being a short-term rental at this stage of his career. “I don’t like to switch teams back and forth,” he said.
“I played already with three teams in the NHL. I have two kids, a dog, a wife… It’s just too much stuff.
And also, I feel like I don’t want to be rented for a couple months, then go somewhere else. I’m just looking for a team who wants me.”
That desire for stability shaped the way he approached the trade process. It wasn’t just about finding a contender - it was about finding a home. And for Panarin, that home turned out to be Los Angeles.
Why Didn’t the Rangers Move Sooner?
Panarin’s comments also raise a bigger question: if the Rangers knew they wanted to move on, why wait? The writing appeared to be on the wall before the season even began.
Had they acted then, they might’ve opened up a broader market and given Panarin more time to settle into a new situation. Instead, the delay limited their options - and his.
Offseason trades allow for more flexibility. Teams like Florida or Tampa Bay, for example, might have been able to clear cap space or maneuver their rosters to bring in a player like Panarin if they’d had more time.
But with the clock ticking and the Olympic break looming, the pool of potential suitors shrank. That left the Rangers with fewer cards to play - and Panarin with fewer destinations that made sense.
LA or Bust
As the deadline neared, Panarin admitted he had doubts about whether a deal would even get done. “They waited pretty long, I feel like,” he said of the Kings.
“I have experience being a free agent, so it was kind of similar… I was ready for that, but I was not ready to pick a team where I didn’t want to go. I probably would have gone back to Russia if LA didn’t give me anything.”
Whether that last comment was tongue-in-cheek or not, the message was unmistakable: Los Angeles was the only team he had eyes for. And once that became clear, the Rangers lost any leverage they might have had. With Panarin unwilling to entertain other options, and only one team truly in the mix, New York was boxed into a corner.
Could they have waited a little longer? Possibly.
But with the market what it was, and Panarin’s mind seemingly made up, the Rangers pulled the trigger. Now, the debate shifts to whether general manager Chris Drury maximized the return - and whether he’s the right person to steer the ship in this next phase of the Rangers’ rebuild.
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t just a trade. It was the closing chapter of a relationship that once held so much promise.
Panarin arrived in New York in 2019 as one of the league’s most electrifying talents, a marquee free agent signing that signaled the Rangers were ready to contend. But five years later, the partnership ended not with a bang, but with a quiet, uncomfortable exit.
For Panarin, the move to Los Angeles offers a fresh start - and the long-term stability he craved. For the Rangers, it’s a moment of reckoning.
The decision to move on from a franchise player is never easy, but how you handle it matters. And in this case, the process left plenty of questions unanswered.
Now the focus shifts to what comes next - for Panarin in LA, and for a Rangers team that’s still trying to find its footing in a post-Panarin era.