Artemi Panarin’s Future Tied to Rangers’ Playoff Push - And the Clock Is Ticking
As the 2025-26 NHL season grinds into its midsection, the New York Rangers find themselves at a crossroads - and so does Artemi Panarin. The veteran winger is still producing at a high level, but with his contract expiring and the team teetering on the playoff bubble, the question isn’t just whether Panarin can keep up his elite play. It’s whether he’ll still be wearing a Rangers sweater come spring.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the team’s position in the standings will be the deciding factor. If the Rangers stay in the thick of the Metropolitan Division race, expect general manager Chris Drury to hold onto his star. But if the bottom falls out and New York slips too far behind the playoff pack, Panarin could become one of the league’s most high-profile trade chips at the deadline.
“A lot will depend on the Rangers’ standings and where they’re at,” Seravalli said on B/R Open Ice. “If they are in a position where they are not making it, or they're well outside of the picture, they're very likely to be moving Artemi Panarin.”
It’s a pragmatic approach for a team that’s been stuck in fits and starts this season. At 14-12-2 and sitting seventh in the Metro, the Rangers are battling both inconsistency and injuries - including a significant absence from star defenseman Adam Fox, who remains on long-term injured reserve.
Their special teams have been middling, and their goal differential is hovering around even. In short, they’ve been good enough to hang around, but not good enough to separate themselves.
Panarin Still Producing Like a Star
Despite the team’s uneven play, Panarin is doing his part - and then some. Through 28 games, he’s racked up 28 points (8 goals, 20 assists), including a standout four-point night against the Boston Bruins. Even at 34, the Russian winger continues to be a driving force for New York’s offense, showing the kind of vision and creativity that’s made him one of the league’s most consistent point producers over the past decade.
This isn’t the 120-point version of Panarin we saw in 2023-24, but he’s still very much an elite talent - and one who could shift the balance of power for a contender if he hits the trade market.
“I think they've been thrilled with his impact. I think they've really enjoyed having him,” Seravalli said.
Contract Talks: Term vs. Flexibility
But this isn’t just a question of wins and losses. There’s a contract situation brewing behind the scenes, and it’s shaping up to be a potential sticking point.
Panarin, in the final year of his deal, reportedly wants a long-term extension with a significant salary. The Rangers, while not opposed to paying him, are reportedly more inclined to offer a shorter-term deal - something that aligns better with their long-term cap flexibility.
“The fact of the matter is, Artemi Panarin wants a deal with a term,” Seravalli explained. “He wants to be highly paid. And it’s not that the Rangers are against paying him, but there are going to be limitations for Chris Drury.”
It’s a familiar tension: a veteran star looking for stability and financial security, and a front office trying to manage the cap while building a sustainable contender. Seravalli noted that the Panarin camp is thinking long-term, while the Rangers are leaning short - a philosophical gap that could be tough to bridge unless the team’s playoff trajectory changes dramatically.
Time Is on Their Side - For Now
The good news for both sides? There’s still time.
December is early in the NHL calendar, and a few strong weeks could shift the conversation entirely. The Rangers have the talent to make a run - especially if they can get healthy and find some consistency.
If they climb the standings, the urgency to move Panarin fades. But if the slide continues, Drury may have little choice but to explore the market.
“I don’t know if there’s a long-term marriage there, so to speak,” Seravalli said. “But again, it’s December. We’ve got a lot of time to figure that out.”
So, for now, the Rangers are walking a tightrope. Their playoff hopes - and Panarin’s future - are intertwined.
If they can string together some wins and stabilize their season, maybe there’s a path forward that keeps No. 10 in blue. But if not, one of the NHL’s most dynamic scorers could be on the move, with major implications for the trade deadline and beyond.
One thing’s for sure: the next few months in New York are going to be anything but quiet.