Why Artemi Panarin Holds the Key to His Rangers Future
The future of veteran New York Rangers wing Artemi Panarin is set to be one of the longest-running soap operas of the 2025-26 NHL season. You’re going to hear plenty of debate surrounding whether the Rangers should extend his contract, trade him or allow the situation to play out.
Panarin is entering the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract, which carries an annual average value of $11,642,857 and a full no-movement clause. There are no reports of the sides engaging in talks.
The Rangers are prime candidates for a bounce-back campaign after missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season. It’s entirely possible that the Rangers could take a wait-and-see approach given the arrival of new head coach Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan will seek to put his imprint on the Blueshirts immediately. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning bench boss demands firm defensive structure, sound positioning and a commitment to a 200-foot game.
Panarin undoubtedly is one of the sport’s most electric offensive talents, averaging 104.9 points per 82 regular season games since joining the Rangers in 2019. It’s the defensive side of his game that has come under fire.
There were times when Panarin committed costly turnovers and was a no-show defensively. Then again, the same could be said about several Rangers during Peter Laviolette’s ill-fated final season behind The Garden bench.
Panarin will need to prove that he can fit into Sullivan’s prototype – and he should have every motivation to deliver on both ends of the rink in his contract year. General manager Chris Drury has been resolute in reshaping the core of the Broadway Blueshirts.
It’s been a summer of change at The World’s Most Famous Arena. Drury traded longest-tenured component Chris Kreider (along with a 2025 fourth-round pick) to the Anaheim Ducks for 20-year-old center Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick. Defenseman K’Andre Miller was dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes for 22-year-old blue liner Scott Morrow, a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick.
Steady defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov was signed to a seven-year, $49 million contract as the Rangers look to solidify their blue line and improve on a 80.3 percent penalty kill that ranked 11th overall last season. He is likely to combine with Adam Fox on the first defensive pairing.
Panarin will turn 34 on Oct. 30. He will need to show that he’s as essential to the Blueshirts as ever. His 89 points (37 goals, 52 assists) marked the lowest of his career in a full season since 2018-19.
The Rangers are projected to roll a first line of Panarin on the left wing, Vincent Trocheck at center and Alexis Lafreniere on the right side – though Sullivan has been known to shuffle lines to produce a spark.
When Panarin joined the Rangers, he spoke of his desire to play on the big stage. His play will ultimately dictate whether his long-term home remains at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue.
Echoes of Mitch Marner: Connor McDavid's Latest Comments Raising Eyebrows Around NHL
Connor McDavid's future in Edmonton is suddenly less certain, and the Leafs could finally be in play for the hometown superstar fans have dreamed of.
The 2015 NHL Draft Lottery was one of the most anticipated in recent memory. The Maple Leafs had bottomed out that year and carried strong odds for the top pick. Waiting at the top of the board was a local phenom from Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Connor McDavid. He had just put up an astonishing 44 goals and 120 points in 47 games with the Erie Otters. For Leafs Nation, the dream of drafting McDavid felt almost too good to be true. And it was.
On lottery night, the Leafs slipped to fourth overall, settling on Mitch Marner out of London. McDavid, of course, went to Edmonton, giving the Oilers their fourth first-overall selection in just six years. The look on McDavid's face that night made it clear the feeling was mutual, he wasn't thrilled he wouldn't be pulling on a Maple Leafs sweater.
Fast forward nearly a decade. McDavid is in the final season of his eight-year deal with the Oilers. For most of that contract, it was assumed he'd be a lifetime Oiler. But the closer he gets to free agency, the more his tone has shifted. McDavid has spoken about "needing time" and not being in a rush to decide, sparking speculation across the league that he could test the market.
It's a long shot, but not impossible, that Toronto could finally get their homegrown superstar. McDavid wants to win above all else, and that complicates things. The Florida Panthers are the league's standard, but the Maple Leafs were the only team to take them to seven games last spring. That kind of progress doesn't go unnoticed by players who are desperate to lift the Cup.
The odds of McDavid ever wearing blue and white remain slim. Still, as his contract winds down, every word he says will be dissected and debated. Leafs fans can't help but wonder, could this be their second chance at the one that got away?
