In today’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman discussed Artemi Panarin and his status with the Rangers. Somewhat quietly, amidst so much talk surrounding Connor McDavid, the 33-year-old Russian enters the final year of his seven-year, $77MM deal signed with the Blueshirts back in 2019. It is thought that the Rangers are looking for a discount for their star to stay in the Big Apple.
Once the highest-paid winger in the league, now surpassed by Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner, Friedman noted that earlier in the summer, the Rangers had early discussions with Panarin on potentially taking a more team-friendly deal, similar to Anze Kopitar, who inked a two-year contract with an AAV of $7MM in 2023.
Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic echoed Friedman’s thoughts, adding that the Rangers are in no rush with their star, only willing to move forward now if at a discount. Despite slightly regressing to 89 from his 120-point explosion in 2023-24, Panarin remains among the league’s elite and will have no shortage of suitors. With the Rangers already facing pressure to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, perhaps extra emphasis will be placed on their ability to keep Panarin happy.
Other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Staying in New York, Matt Rempe discussed his goal to become a more complete hockey player, as told by Colin Stephenson of Newsday. “I want to turn into not being known as an enforcer,’’ Rempe said. “I want to be turned into, ‘This guy’s a really good young power forward… who also can fight.’” The 23-year-old has made an impression on new Head Coach Mike Sullivan, with his work ethic and strong skating. Rempe last netted double-digit goals as a 19-year-old with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and has not notched more than 12 points in a season as a pro, but at 6 foot 9, 265 pounds, the Calgary native is certainly an imposing netfront presence, and has the right mindset to stick around in today’s game.
- Meanwhile, in Buffalo, young center Jiri Kulich was noted as having left the ice a few minutes into morning skate on Thursday, and is sidelined for the Sabres’ preseason tilt with Detroit. Head Coach Lindy Ruff said it was a muscle tweak, and Kulich is not expected to be out for more than a few days.
Rempe’s yet to prove he can be a “really good” power forward in HARTFORD, let alone in New York.
As far as Panarin goes, he’s strong on the list for being the next guy to sign for max term max money that the signing team will bitterly regret well before the end. Only way I’d give him top dollar would be on a three year deal, and obviously someone will offer him a good bit more than that.
he’ll be 34 im not sure anyone will be offering him a max term unless a team is desperate or after the new CBA contract max term rule kicks in then a new team could only offer 6 years, if New York is out of the playoff picture i can see a trade coming, and based off his Big City preference, only LA or a return to Chicago seems to make sense as LA will be losing Kopitar to retirement and Chicago has an insane amount of cap space and could potentially be in the playoffs by 2026-27 especially if they win the lottery to draft Bedard’s cousin Gavin McKenna
Doesn’t have to be desperate; just look at Florida giving Brad Marchand six years, at age 37 yet. We can all think of numerous examples where teams are handing out max term to players already in their thirties, and with less proven skill than Panarin has.
And maybe I’d be among them if I was a GM. How many GMs will be *around* six, seven years from now? Whether I get fired or not has a lot more to do with how the team I assemble performs in 2026, 2027 than whether I’m setting up a ticking cap bomb that blows up in 2032.
I like Rempe, but kinda funny that he followed this up with a -3 tonight lol
He’ll be fine on bottom six. From time to time chipping a goal or dropping gloves but mostly grinding and forchecking.
There are other guys in the lineup making more than $7M to score 20-30 goals
Honestly, no one would notice Rempe if he didn’t punch people in the head a lot.
Yea who notices a dude who’s 6’9” 265lbs?LOL, he’s a very usable player that needs time, idk about being a premier power forward but most people wrote off Chara too.
… you’re seriously comparing a Hall of Fame defenseman to an AHL-caliber thug?
Sure, I’m not saying he’s going to be Chara, that’s an anomaly. I’m comparing the negativity he’s getting to what most people saw when they looked at a huge guy like Chara. There’s room to grow his game.
Don’t see Panarin as a Ranger next year unless he takes a substantial cut. Too many younger, more attractive players out there that the Rangers will attempt to bring in. One objective I see is moving Zibs – and they may be willing to move prospects along to free up more cap space. As of now I only see three players that are almost untouchable – Miller, Fox and Igor. MacD and Kaprizov will certainly be targets, if not both provided cap is cleared out.
There is one option Panera and Zibb in the package for a bag of pucks and two cheeseburgers..any takers?
Zibs is not leaving. How is that not clear?
@luke – 100% of nhl wpuld take that deal. Do ypu somehow think they are bad?
It’s certainly not clear to the many hockey commentators and reporters who dropped rumors, made speculations, etc. Now if Zibanejad’s gone public and said that there will never be any circumstances where he’d waive his NMC, that’d be clear. When did that happen?
Ask Trouba. Kreider. Was that clear enough?
Exactly. I could see them attaching a top prospect (and perhaps another next level down) to facilitate the effort of taking on that contract.
His wife in a swedish interview said they just bought a house in new york and they are committed as a family
Trouba and kreider had limited trade protection, zibs has full.
Kreider waived his. Anaheim was blocked. Zibs could do the same.
He could, but he wont. So good talk. Its nmc rangers cant even waive him.