The Artemi Panarin saga is over. The New York Rangers traded the Russian forward to the LA Kings on Wednesday. The Avalanche were loosely linked in the mix. But, as the outcome shows, the Avalanche were never really serious suitors.

Beyond the fact that the Avalanche never really had a chance to land Panarin, the trade itself could directly impact the Avs.

Yes, the Avalanche have one more regular-season tilt against the Kings on March 2. That game will likely mean the first look Colorado gets at Panarin as a member of the Kings. But that’s not really how Colorado could be impacted.

The direct impact could come in the postseason.

Entering Wednesday night’s action, the LA Kings are one point out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. As such, the Panarin trade was a last-ditch effort by the Kings to make the playoffs.

Now, let’s assume for a minute they do. Let’s also assume they enter as the second wild card team. Let’s make one more assumption is that the Avalanche end as the top seed in the Western Conference. That means the Kings and Avalanche would be on a collision course in the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Could this situation be a replay of last season’s Mikko Rantanen postseason rampage?

It’s a possibility. It could be that Panarin goes bananas and torches the Avalanche like Rantanen did last postseason.

Of course, this scenario hinges on the Kings actually making the playoffs. That’s no guarantee at the moment. While MoneyPuck gives the Kings a 73.5% chance of making the postseason, so many things can change from now until the final game of the season.

Kings are much different than Stars were last season

Even if Panarin goes wild in a potential first-round series against the Avalanche, the Kings are a much different team than the Dallas Stars.

For starters, the Kings aren’t nearly as deep as the Stars. The Stars can roll out three consistent lines, with an above-average fourth line.

That’s not something the Kings can really match. In fact, one of Kings coach Jim Hillier’s biggest criticisms has been shortening his bench during playoff games. Last spring, the Kings blew a 2-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers, with Hiller’s management of his forwards and blue line being the biggest reason.

Hillier has a habit of trimming his bench to about seven or eight forwards and roughly four defensemen as the game wears on. The Oilers, a much deeper team, outlasted the Kings.

That’s a scenario the Kings face against the Avalanche. The Avs can roll out four lines and still wreak havoc. Nathan MacKinnon’s line can play 15 minutes and still cause significant damage. The second line is among the best in the league, with the bottom-six forward group being an enviable bunch.

Then, the Kings would have to get past MacKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood just to have a chance to win.

All told, Artemi Panarin is a significant acquisition for the LA Kings. But it doesn’t look like it will be close to enough to get past a powerhouse Colorado Avalanche squad. That March 2 game will give fans a good look at what that first-round series could look like, if it came to fruition.