{"id":451650,"date":"2026-02-08T22:56:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T22:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/451650\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T22:56:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T22:56:18","slug":"nhl-rumors-artemi-panarin-turned-down-massive-offer-from-kraken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/451650\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Rumors: Artemi Panarin Turned Down Massive Offer From Kraken"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"New<\/a><\/p>\n

Artemi Panarin had the Seattle Kraken<\/a> ready to blow the doors off the market, and he still said no.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Sportsnet\u2019s Elliotte Friedman, Seattle put a four-year extension on the table with an average annual value higher than Leon Draisaitl\u2019s $14 million, a jaw-dropping pitch that would have made Panarin one of the league\u2019s top-paid players. <\/p>\n

Kraken\u2019s offer was massive, Panarin still stayed on his track<\/p>\n

The wild part is how close things apparently came to falling apart with Los Angeles before the finish line.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Friedman reported the Kings and Panarin\u2019s camp talked numbers in the $45 million range before term became the sticking point, which opened the door for Seattle to try to steal him with that \u201chigher than Draisaitl\u201d AAV.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Artemi Panarin rejected a four-year deal worth $14M+ AAV from the Seattle Kraken before going to LA on a two-year deal worth $11M AAV, per @FriedgeHNIC<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/5m3Ifz68B9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 PuckEmpire (@puckempire) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Kraken GM Jason Botterill did not confirm figures, but acknowledged discussions with Panarin\u2019s agent Paul Theofanous while declining to go deeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why Panarin chose Los Angeles anyway<\/p>\n

Panarin ultimately landed with the Los Angeles Kings<\/a> on a two-year extension worth $22 million total, $11 million AAV, even though Friedman suggested he may have left roughly $30 million on the table to make the Kings happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 34-year-old is still an elite producer, with 57 points in 52 games this season, and he has been a top-end scorer for years with multiple 80-plus point seasons and that monster 120-point campaign in 2023\u201324 still fresh in everyone\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n

Artemi Panarin wanted to go to #GoKingsGo<\/a>, forcing Chris Drury to lower the asking price of the return.<\/p>\n

Bruce Boudreau joins the show to give his thoughts<\/p>\n

w\/@LaughlinSXM<\/a> + @GordStellick<\/a>
on #NHL<\/a> Morning Skate pic.twitter.com\/u8263KoNJw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) February 5, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

The New York Rangers<\/a> never had clean leverage here, and Panarin\u2019s preference clearly decided the outcome, with Panarin even joking that ‘it was the Kings, or back to Russia.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

Seattle\u2019s swing shows how badly the Kraken want to level up fast, but this one is going to sting because they were willing to pay superstar money and still could not change his mind.<\/p>\n

Photo Credit:\u00a0Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/p>\n