Rangers Move Panarin to Kings in Bold Deadline Deal, LA Eyes Post-Kopitar Era
The NHL's trade freeze hit at 3 PM, and just before the clock struck, the New York Rangers pulled off one of the more surprising moves of the season - sending star winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. The return?
A package headlined by prospect Liam Greentree and conditional third- and fourth-round picks. On the surface, it might not look like a blockbuster haul for a player of Panarin’s caliber, but context matters - and in this case, the Rangers didn’t have much of a hand to play.
Panarin’s no-movement clause gave him full control of the situation, and according to his agent, Paul Theofanous, the Kings were the only team he was willing to waive for. That left Rangers GM Chris Drury with one real option, and when the market knows you’re stuck, the return is never going to blow anyone away.
But let’s talk about what this deal means for both sides, starting with Los Angeles.
Kings Land a Star - On Their Terms
The biggest shocker here isn’t that Panarin is heading west - it’s the terms of the extension that came with him. Two years, $11 million per.
That’s it. Not four, not five.
Just two.
That’s a huge win for the Kings.
In today’s NHL, locking in elite talent without committing long-term cap space is rare. For LA, this is a tailor-made bridge to the post-Anze Kopitar era. The longtime captain is set to retire at season’s end, and while Panarin doesn’t fill the center spot Kopitar leaves behind, he gives the Kings a proven top-line playmaker to keep their offense humming while they search for their next No. 1 down the middle.
Make no mistake - the Kings still have work to do. Finding a center to replace Kopitar will be their top priority this offseason.
But in the meantime, they’ve added one of the league’s most dynamic wingers, and they did it without mortgaging their future or tying up long-term money. That’s a savvy move for a team trying to thread the needle between contending now and building for what’s next.
For the Rangers, It’s About Flexibility
From New York’s perspective, this trade is less about what they got and more about what it allows them to do next.
With Panarin off the books, GM Chris Drury now has more time - and more flexibility - to explore other moves ahead of the deadline. There are still decisions to be made about several players on the roster, and clearing Panarin’s cap hit opens up new possibilities.
Sure, losing a player of Panarin’s stature stings. He’s been a cornerstone for the Rangers since arriving in 2019.
But with limited leverage and a ticking clock, Drury made the best of a tough hand. Now the focus shifts to how he uses this newfound breathing room.
Leafs, Canadian Teams Eye Deadline Decisions
Elsewhere around the league, the Toronto Maple Leafs are taking the Olympic break to do some soul-searching of their own. GM Brad Treliving is expected to use the next few weeks to gauge interest in several of his pending unrestricted free agents - and potentially some others - while also checking in with agents to get a sense of what contract extensions might cost.
It’s a balancing act: what’s the trade return versus what it would take to re-sign them? That’s the question facing not just Toronto, but several Canadian teams heading into the back half of the season.
Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver - all have big decisions looming. The Olympic break offers a moment to reset and plan, but once play resumes, expect the trade chatter to heat up quickly.
The deadline is coming fast, and around the league, front offices are already working the phones. The Kings made their splash early. Now the rest of the league is on the clock.