The New York Rangers have traded star forward Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.
Panarin, 34, had not received a contract extension from the Rangers, giving him the chance to explore trade options. At the same time, the team was working on reshaping its roster.
Known as “Breadman”, Panarin was an alternate captain for New York before the trade. This season, he has 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games, averaging just under 21 minutes of ice time per game, though he has a minus-16 rating.
Before the trade, Panarin was held out of the Rangers’ games leading up to the Olympic break on Feb. 4. The team did this to protect him from injury while exploring trade options.
The Kings acquired him in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree. Panarin is signed to a seven-year contract worth over $81 million, with a cap hit of $11.6 million per season. And he is in the last year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent afterward.
Rangers president Chris Drury earlier shared a letter with fans on the team’s X account, explaining the team’s approach this season. He said the Rangers are focused on retooling, not a full rebuild.
“With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation,” Drury wrote. “We are not going to stand pat - a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.”
Drury noted the team is looking for young players, draft picks, and flexibility in the salary cap while understanding that some long-time players may move on.
Panarin’s trade changes the Rangers’ lineup while giving the Kings a skilled forward who can contribute immediately.