With many contract extensions already in the books and the realization by the Ottawa Senators that Erik Karlsson needs to be traded, that might suggest to some fans that after Karlsson the superstar market might be closed for some time. Yet that isn’t the case as several players have not opted to sign extension yet, including players such as Dallas’ Tyler Seguin and most notably the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Artemi Panarin.
The 26-year-old has only played in the league for three years, but has made it count, totaling 88 goals and 233 points in that span. Now after recent comments suggesting that he isn’t willing to sign an extension “as of now,” there is plenty of doubt that a long-term deal with the winger is even likely. In fact, while he has not requested a trade, it looks like he’s trying to force his way out of Columbus.
Panarin’s agent Dan Milstein clarified initial statements in a Q&A with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required). He says it has nothing to do with his love for the team, but more on where he wants to play for the next seven or eight years.
“… (Panarin’s) biggest thing is … he loves the team, he loves the coach,” Milstein said. “It’s not the team or the way they treat him. It’s about, does he want to spend the next eight years in Columbus? That’s the only thing at stake right now. If it was a two-year deal we probably would have done it. But it isn’t a two-year deal. It’s gonna have to be an extended, seven- or eight-year deal put in place.”
Columbus may not be the right fit for Panarin if he’s looking for exposure, considering that he chose to sign his initial tw0-year, entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, who had already won a Stanley Cup in 2013 and were on the verge of winning their second weeks after they signed him in 2015. Columbus lacks the geographical market as a impact city, while the team’s success has also been an issue as they’ve reached the playoffs just four times in the history of the team (albeit, twice in the past two years). However, the team is neither a place where free agents frequently want to come to and despite recent success, the team still isn’t viewed as a team that can contend for a Stanley Cup.
While the Blue Jackets have reportedly been “testing the market” for Panarin, so far little movement has occurred, according to Milstein. However, when directly asked what the chances are that Panarin signs with Columbus, Milstein said he would suggest the Blue Jackets trade him.
“He doesn’t want me to negotiate yet, so you know … if I was the Blue Jackets, I would do the same thing (consider trades),” Milstein said.
It’s rare that a star player moves around as much as he has this quickly
Enough of this crap he will sign his extension when wants to during the regular season he is doing this so they can go ahead and sign bob and werenski
Enough of this crap he will sign his extension when he wants to during the regular season, he is doing so they can go ahead and sign bob and werenski
And who are you to stay they aren’t in position to contend for title they have been among the best teams in the nhl each of the last two seasons
Also because of the terrible playoff formal they have had to play the caps and pens instead of the senators and the maple leafs
And the Jackets lost anyway. To be the best you’re going to eventually have to beat good teams.
Yeah in the later rounds not the first round
Again your really reaching to say they shouldn’t have had to play the Caps in the first round.
They only played the caps because they conceded the last game to the preds to avoid the pens
It’s also very unfortunate that January with all the injuries happened because that cost them the division
This comes off as being written a little too strongly against the Blue Jackets. I’m a fan of them so I could just be biased, but I think too much emphasis was put on them not being in a huge city and their first round exits the past few years. If Panarin gets a Godfather-type offer, he’d be crazy to turn it down.
Also it’s not like they lost to the senators or the maple leafs the last two years they have lost the eventual champions teams they shouldn’t been facing in the first place
I 100 percent agree they got screwed by having to play the Pens last year. But dont see how they should have avoided WAS in the first round this year
If CBJ dont want to face the Caps or Pens in the first round maybe they should do better in the regular season and then face the Leafs of Sens in the first round.