Artemi Panarin heads to Los Angeles (with a contract extension in hand)

Marc-Olivier Cook
Artemi Panarin heads to Los Angeles (with a contract extension in hand)
Credit: NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 05: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers skates during warm up prior to the game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on April 5, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)

We knew there was a (very) good chance that Artemi Panarin would be traded today. And… that's what happened. The forward will continue his career in Los Angeles: the Rangers finally found a partner to dance with, and we can put an end to this saga in New York.

In return, the Blue Shirts get Liam Greentree and a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick. Oh, and the Rangers are also retaining 50% of Panarin's salary ($11,642,857) in the trade.

That's… not much, even though Chris Drury didn't have the upper hand in the negotiations. Panarin was determined to play in Los Angeles (as is the case with many players in MLB), and one has to wonder if the tax aspect played a role. That said, maybe the Rangers shot themselves in the foot by trading him today instead of waiting until March…  

Honestly, I like thefit, evenif it doesn't solve the club's problem at center.

The Russian will be well supported, he'll have the tools around him to produce offensively… and for the club, this is a huge acquisition. Inserting a player like Panarin into the lineup is, after all, a good move.

Especially since the Kings didn't have to give up a regular player to get their hands on the forward…

We know how dangerous Panarin can be on the ice. He didn't rack up 927 points in 804 NHL games because he has nice hair, let's be clear: it's because he's brimming with talent.

This will also make the team even more dangerous heading into the playoffs.

Sure, there will be a short adjustment period for the club because the arrival of a player like Panarin changes things… but hey. Once everything falls into place and the guys figure out how to play together, it could lead to some pretty interesting results.

It's worth noting that the Kings have the Canadiens to thank in a way.

Without the Phillip Danault trade, the Kings would never have been able to acquire Panarin because of his salary. Kent Hughes helped Ken Holland out a bit in a way… even though Danault has really helped the Canadiens since his acquisition.

It's also worth noting that Panarin signed a two-year contract extension (at $11 million per season) with the Kings after the trade.

In Los Angeles, they found a way to “replace” Anze Kopitar, who will retire at the end of the season. It's an excellent move for the Kings, especially considering the price they paid to acquire a star player.

They are giving themselves a chance to win the Stanley Cup before Kopitar and Drew Doughty retire: 

Remember that there were rumors that Panarin wanted to return to Russia at the end of his current contract.

So will he return home after his two years in Los Angeles? It's possible, considering he'll be 37 by then.


Extension

It should be noted that there was another trade before the National Hockey League trade deadline.

Nick Bjugstad was traded to the Devils: the Blues acquired Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick in exchange for the forward's services.

A nice addition to New Jersey's depth. 

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