With the Stanley Cup Playoffs underway, the New York Rangers are watching from the sidelines for the second straight year. As the team goes through a bit of a retooling, they will be hopeful to be a contender next year. 

As the Rangers prepare for the summer and the offseason, it was one of the worst years in the history of the franchise. This was a team that was expected to be much better than their final record indicated, and not too many would have predicted that they would have had the worst record in the Eastern Conference. 

After a slow start to the season and a historically bad one at home, it became pretty clear that New York was going to be out of the race pretty early. With some veteran talent on the team and a need to get some young talent and assets, the Rangers did the smart thing and made some moves to align with their future goals. 

The most notable move for the team was the decision to trade star forward Artemi Panarin, who had played some excellent hockey for the franchise. Panarin needed to waive his no-trade clause in order to be dealt, and the Rangers agreed on a deal with the Los Angeles Kings that sent the talented forward out West in exchange for Liam Greentree and a third-round draft pick. As the Kings battle with the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs, Panarin has been a positive addition for them. 

Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin skating

Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

At 34 years old, the winger showed no signs of slowing down this season with the Rangers or the Kings after being traded. He totaled 84 points in 78 games with 28 goals and a whopping 56 assists. 

In 26 games with Los Angeles, he was just slightly over one point per game, totaling 27 points in 26 games with nine goals and 18 assists. Furthermore, while he had a -18 +/- for New York, he was a +9 with the Kings. 

Against the Avalanche so far, he has been able to record two goals, helping the Kings compete against one of the best teams in the NHL. So far, this is a deal that has worked out for Los Angeles with Panarin performing well and helping them in the playoffs. For the Rangers, time will tell. Greentree is a talented prospect, and getting draft capital is always a good thing. It certainly made sense for them to deal Panarin, and this could be a deal that works out for both sides. Â