A new name shot to the top of every trade deadline board across the hockey world Friday after reports surfaced that the New York Rangers won't be offering Artemi Panarin a new contract.
Panarin is set for unrestricted free agency this summer and owns a full no-movement clause. Considering he carries a $11.642-million cap hit, the Rangers will likely need to retain salary to facilitate a deal.
But even with salary retention, few contenders have the cap space or draft capital to acquire a player of Panarin's caliber. The 34-year-old has 51 points in 47 games this season, and he's the NHL's fifth-highest scorer since landing on Broadway in 2019-20.
Here are five teams that could be suitors for Panarin if he's moved before the March 6 deadline.
Florida Panthers
Money-wise, the Panthers aren't a fit. Asset-wise, they are. Destination-wise, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are as good as it gets. Florida didn't appear to have the capital to acquire Seth Jones or Brad Marchand last year, but the organization still found a way to add both. Marchand later revealed he'd only accept a trade to the Panthers, which helped keep the acquisition cost down.
Panarin, a longtime friend of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, could find Florida as an appealing option if chasing a Stanley Cup is his priority. But while Florida presents a tempting opportunity, the Cats could prefer to avoid the salary-cap gymnastics that come with adding Panarin and instead focus on welcoming back Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk as the club gears up for the playoffs. Still, the Panthers didn't earn their reputation as the league's most aggressive team by coincidence.
Washington Capitals
As the Rangers were making headlines Friday, Capitals general manager Chris Patrick expressed a desire to pursue a "higher-end skilled winger" leading up to the trade deadline. Talk about convenient timing.
There won't be a winger on the market more skilled than Panarin, and the Capitals have the money to make it work. Additionally, teaming up with countryman Alex Ovechkin for a Cup run in what may be the all-time goal scorer's final season has to be tantalizing.
Patrick also noted that he wasn't willing to part with top prospect Cole Hutson in a potential Quinn Hughes trade, so it's unclear what Washington might be willing to offer to land Panarin as a rental.
Vegas Golden Knights
Much like the Panthers, you can never count out the Golden Knights during trade season. Vegas' prospect pipeline is bare due to years of going all-in at this time, but the club could have an extra $5.9 million in cap space if William Karlsson, currently on long-term injured reserve, is ruled out for the playoffs. His stashed cap hit would allow the Golden Knights to add Panarin at 50% salary retention.
Although Vegas might prefer to pursue a center over a winger, it recently moved Mitch Marner to the middle to address depth issues. If that experiment lasts, there may be a fit for Panarin in a loaded top six that also features Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Pavel Dorofeyev.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are in the playoff hunt despite ranking 31st in goals for and 27th in power-play proficiency. Adding a game-breaking talent to help spark their offense could transform their attack. Enter Panarin, who would be a huge upgrade over Los Angeles' top-six left wingers: Jeff Malott and Warren Foegele.
L.A. has the financial flexibility to make a deal work, but it doesn't have a great group of prospects. That said, the Kings own their first-round picks for the next three years and have a pair of second- and third-rounders to help entice Rangers general manager Chris Drury if Panarin wants to play out the end of his season in Hollywood.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are no strangers to franchise-altering moves at the deadline, having brought in Jake Guentzel in 2024 before acquiring and flipping Mikko Rantanen last year. With ample cap space, four first-round picks over the next three years, and a respectable collection of prospects, Carolina is in a prime position to go for it again this season.
The Hurricanes are the clear favorite in the Metropolitan Division, and they could be more inspired than ever to go all-in after another disappointing exit in last year's Eastern Conference Final. Adding Panarin could push a Stanley Cup-ready roster over the top.
