Trade Pitch Sees Rangers Dealing Panarin in 4-Player Offseason Blockbuster
The New York Rangers will be one of the most interesting teams in the NHL this offseason as they could make major changes.
New York is battling for a playoff spot and several key players have been rumored to be potentially traded this offseason. The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Rangers trading Artemi Panarin to the Buffalo Sabres.
The proposed deal would be a massive blockbuster as the Rangers would trade a star forward for two young NHL players and a first-round pick which could be a top-three pick.
Quinn and Peterka are both RFAs on July 1 so New York would need to sign both of them. Quinn has recorded 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 61 games this season with the Sabres.
The Rangers would also get Peterka and the first-round pick who are the two big parts of the deals. Peterka has recorded 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points in 64 games.
In return, the Rangers would trade Panarin with $5 million retained which is a big deal. However, it would only be for one season as Panarin has just one year left on his seven-year $81.5 million deal. Panarin has recorded 31 goals and 44 assists for 75 points in 69 games.
Buffalo would also acquire a fifth-round pick and depth forward Kaliyev. Kaliyev was claimed off waivers from the Rangers who has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points in 14 games.
Rangers Could Move Star Players in Offseason
New York traded captain Jacob Trouba during the season, but that may not be the only big move they make.
Rangers insider Peter Baugh of The Athletic believes New York will look to move on from either Mika Zibanejad or Panarin.
“Moving on from Mika Zibanejad ($8.5 million average annual value through 2029-30) or Artemi Panarin ($11.642 million through 2025-26) would create even more space, but both have no-movement clauses. They’re also two of the Rangers’ three points leaders this season so it would leave a hole in production,” Baugh wrote.
Along with those two, Baugh also expects Chris Kreider to be heavily involved in trade talks this offseason.
“If the Rangers are going to make substantial changes to their roster, they will need to move players out,” Baugh added. “Chris Kreider is the most obvious candidate, given that Chris Drury already showed a willingness to entertain offers in November, when he sent a message to the other 31 general managers saying he’d listen on Kreider and then-captain Jacob Trouba. Moving Kreider’s $6.5 million cap hit might not be easy given his trade protection and the disappointing season he’s had.”
The Rangers are 34-31-6 and one point out of a playoff spot.
