Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers entered the 2025-26 NHL season as one of the more interesting teams across the entire league. New York had goals of contending for a Stanley Cup title this year, but the team has gotten off to a questionable start.

*PREDICTION*

The Rangers sit in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference right now, and unless things massively change, we could see some moves take place before the trade deadline. New York wants to make some big splashes this offseason, especially considering that the team will be shedding some major cap space.

Star Artemi Panarin is in the final year of his current contract, and there have been rumors that the Rangers may not want to retain him. New York has the feeling of a team gearing up for a massive move that could shift power in the league, but in order to make this happen, they need room in the salary books.

If the team were to move on from Panarin, they could likely still land a nice return for his services. Panarun remains a strong player on the ice, and he has shown that he can still impact a game in the best ways.

Last year with the Rangers, the veteran scored 37 goals and put up 52 assists over 80 games played in the regular season. The Rangers will have a high asking price for the veteran, but all it takes is one team to meet the price.

It remains to be seen if Panarin will be moved at the trade deadline, but this will be something to watch very closely as it approaches next spring. New York wants to be aggressive in roster building moving forward, and moving on from Panarin could be the first piece to the puzzle for the team.

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Artemi Panarin Traded Over to Montreal Canadiens

As the Rangers try to navigate the situation around Panarin, the idea of trading him could grow louder as time moves on. One team that could make sense for the veteran is the Montreal Canadiens, who are looking to build on the success from last season.

Montreal made the playoffs last year, and now the team is looking to go even farther in the postseason. Adding Panarin could be the perfect way for the Candiens to take that next step in the Eastern Conference.

And since he is on an expiring deal, if things do not work out, the team could simply move on from him. But if he were to fit in well, Montreal could then look to retain him for the next few seasons.

This could be a real win-win type of move for the Canadiens, and it could push them forward in terms of Stanley Cup contention. Adding Panarin would give them an explosive scoring veteran who could heavily impact games on the ice.

Montreal has the pieces that could help make a deal go through, and the Rangers could land some extra assets from a deal like this. Overall, this could be one of the better landing spots for the veteran, and both sides should discuss what a potential deal may look like.