Who is likely to transfer this season?
Matt Larkin of “Daily Faceoff”: A look at some of the biggest names that could emerge this season.
Larkin — Artemi Panarin returning to the New York Rangers doesn’t make sense in the long run unless he’s willing to accept a team discount. Don’t see the Rangers in the playoffs, they could acquire a ton of draft picks and prospects for him.
Anthony Trudeau – Don’t think the New Jersey Devils have to wait until 2026 to trade linebacker Dougie Hamilton. The Devils could use a top-six winger and need some cap space after Jonathan Kovacevic left on LTIR. He has a non-trade list of 10 teams who may need to find a third party to retain some of the $9 million cap hit.
Scott Maxwell – The Pittsburgh Penguins are unlikely to re-sign Evgeni Malkin, so will he want to play in the Cup with another team. The Florida Panthers will be looking for a center, as will the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks.
Paul Pidutti – Penguins guard Erik Karlsson has a full no-movement clause. The Penguins will likely win enough games before the trade deadline so they don’t go into fire sale mode. Keeping players like Carlson, Rickard Rucker and Brian Rust will only delay the Penguins’ rebuild.
Steven Ellis – Teams looking for a second or third pair of defensemen can call the San Jose Sharks and inquire about pending UFA Mario Ferraro.
Mike Gould – Rasmus Andersen will likely not re-sign with the Calgary Flames. He struggled last season, but he could be the best right-handed defenseman on the trade market and provide a nice return for the Flames.
How New York Rangers season goes could affect whether Artemis Panarin returns next season
Dan Rosen, NHL.com: (Mailbag) Artemi Panarin is entering the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $11.64 million. He has been the team’s leading scorer the past six seasons and ranks fifth on the NHL scoring list since the 2019-20 season with 552 points in 435 games.
The Rangers still like Panarin, but general manager Chris Drury has not commented publicly on Panarin’s contract situation or long-term future. If the Rangers struggle again this season, it could be a sign that changes are needed and they look to move him before the trade deadline. If they have a good season, Panarin may want to stay. How successful Panarin is this season may make him want to test the market and see how much money he can make. Don’t think Panarin will sign a contract extension during the season.
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