NHL Rumor Mill – October 21, 2025
Could the Rangers part ways with Artemi Panarin before the March trade deadline? What’s the latest on the Oilers? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Jim Parsons wonders if Artemi Panarin’s time with the New York Rangers is coming to an end.
New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin (NHL Images).
The 33-year-old left winger is in the final season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.
Parsons cited a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman claiming the Rangers offered Panarin a contract extension similar to Anze Kopitar’s recent deal with the Los Angeles Kings, which was a short-term proposal with a reduced salary cap hit. Kopitar agreed to a two-year contract with an AAV of $7 million.
Friedman said the Rangers asked Panarin if he would take a “Kopitar kind of deal”, and the winger said no.
Parsons also stated that Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was claiming that the Rangers could peddle Panarin if they’re a playoff bubble team and there’s no sign that he will stay beyond this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panarin’s age ensures he won’t get a lengthy deal like his current one. His production dropped from 120 points in 2023-24 to 89 points last season, and at his current pace, he could finish with less than 80 points. That will affect how much he’ll get from the Rangers or another club if he tests the market next summer.
If the Rangers are a bubble team by February, they could approach Panarin about trade destinations. He has a full no-movement clause, but he could waive it for the right club.
SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman pointed out that the Edmonton Oilers have a logjam on defense. They’re carrying eight defenseman, prompting Friedman to suggest they could consider moving one of them.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Oilers do trade a defenseman, it will likely be Ty Emberson, Troy Stecher, or Alex Regula. The latter is on a two-way contract with an AAV of $775,000, Stecher has a one-way deal with a $787,500 cap hit, and Emberson has a year remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $1.3 million.
Oilers could move a D (Emberson would be most logical IMO) but that’s not moving the correction needed.
Early in year yet; but Oilers don’t seem to have “it” yet.
What is “it”? TBD
The “it” that the Oilers are missing right now is Hyman. They were missing him during the playoffs and are still missing him.
…a goalie that isn’t a nail biter everytime someone comes in alone ish with the puck.
It affects every one. Defense plays tighter. Offensive forwards back check harder and are less offensive. Everyone worries about making a mistake and it going the other way. Rather than thinking “we’ll be ok–I can go for it”
I know it’s only one game right now, but Ingram has a 0.955 sv% with the Condors. The other guy, Matt Tomkins, in two games is 0.843 sv%. So there is hope there.
Skinner’s been fine, other than a brain fart in game one. He isn’t the problem, so far at least. Giving up too many 5 alarm chances, and look kind of ho hum in the attack zone.
They miss Hyman too. That injury could plague him for along time, nerve damage is common with that injury.
I’m not too worried about the Oil and they will be there in the end barring significant injuries to their best guys.
They have started this way for the last 2 years. Not ideal, but not sure anyone really cares about the start of regular season with this team. Looks like it on the ice too.
If the Rangers could have gotten Panarin for 2x$7M that would be great.
Without that, NYR must wait until the deadline and make a determination if you keep him as an “own rental” to chase the playoffs or trade him to a contender for picks.
I’m OK if we keep him for a playoff push and he simply walks away after that.
The Rangers should not give him too much term or salary, as there is still a lot of cap work to do over the next couple years.
Tough to envision a Panarin trade.
But, if traded, to where?
His Cap hit basically requires a 50% retention ( or lesser but substantial retention; plus dump contract coming back)
What contender has ample space? Canes.
Would Rangers trade with Canes?
Imagine Canes with Panarin!
What would that cost?
Thin Bread to Redwings to visit his buddy Kane
They have cap for it and Rags can uses prospects to flip for other potential assets like a tuch from buff
Tuch top 2 rw
Also under 30
If he’s traded at the deadline a 50% retention is about 2 million. I don’t really think NY is taking back a bad contract. Especially any with term beyond the offseason.
On the off chance they take a bad expiring contract back, I’d imagine the return would have to be even better.
It is up to Panarin if he wishes to leave. Drury can’t do anything if Artemi sez “Nyet!”
Agree
But the Panarin trade idea by Pagnotta was “if they’re a playoff bubble team and there’s no sign that he will stay beyond this season.”
If he’s got little/no interest in re-upping; AND Rangers are a bubble team; why not say “Da” to go to a contender?
Have a chat with Trouba about waivers, Johnny.
can’t waive Panarin. LJ😄
I had an admittedly lazy look at the waiver rules, Johnny (or anyone else). I can’t see why not.
What am I missing?
Panarin has a full no-movement clause.
Trouba was traded. Wasn’t it Barclay Goodrow that they put on waivers?
In fairness, Panarins 120 point season was the best of his career and WELL above his average. Keeping in mind he was also 31 years old while doing so.
Expecting a repeat of that career year at 32-33-34 is a bit unreasonable.
$10,259,600 X 4 yrs is Panarin’s projected next contract. No discount, but with an NMC throughout might be acceptable by him.
NYR will also have $35,155,000 in Cap space next year with only 7 to sign and with no big FA’s but Kempe, Necas and Tuch to court, and chances are they will resign and not be FAs.
That term and $ would kill the Rangers in 2027.
Sure, next year there isn’t much they have to manage for free agency.
But for 2027 they only have 4 forwards under contract that are on active roster (Zib, JT, Trocheck, Lafreniere) and only 3 defensemen (Fox, Gavrikov, Borgen).
That’s it.
Thats a lot of signings (with a lot of contract inflation) that the Rangers have to solve moving forward.
And that doesn’t even include all the RFA/UFA guys in minors coming up in the next year (Berard, Othmann, Perreault, Morrow, and others).
Giving Panarin 4x$10M+ will hurt more than it helps.
The 8 that they sign in 2026, if signed to multi-year contracts (including Panarin), will bring that # up to about 9 forwards and the others to fill the forward ranks are RFA’s…….so there will not be a problem in 2027.
Was watching game last night and commentators discussed Gavrikov currently living with Panarin. IMO, if the Rangers were going to try and move him, it would’ve been in summer after his bonus was paid. His base salary is only 1 mi, so getting a 3rd team to retain wouldn’t be a problem. Just don’t see it happening. Has anyone noticed he’s got 7 points in 8 games?
3rd team taking on salary/cap is no longer legal, IIRC
Kevjam, Yes, Trouba was traded, but, per Larry Brooks, Anaheim was on his no trade list and was told by the Rangers management that he would be put on waivers if he did not accept the trade.
Matt Duchene signed a 4 year deal for 4.5 mil per. He’s 9 months older than Panarin and had 7 fewer points last year.
Not everyone is a Duchesne or Crosby or Kopitar when it comes to signing contracts. I don’t see AP signing for less than $10M x 5. Does anyone?