Things are starting to get a lot more interesting around the New York Rangers, and it’s beginning to feel like this could be a deadline where some big names unexpectedly move.
I’m hearing 3–5 teams have shown interest in Artemi Panarin, with Minnesota, Washington, and Chicago among the most serious. At the moment, Minnesota appears to be the slight favorite. The Wild have been searching for a true offensive driver to line up as alongside Kaprisof in th playoffs, have the assets to make a deal work, and believe Panarin could push them into another tier in the West. Washington is exploring options but is tighter against the cap, while Chicago is very interestingly, involved in this I am told.. keep your eye in Chicago this trade deadline.
Vincent Trocheck is another Rangers name gaining traction. Minnesota has checked in here as well, but Boston might be the team to watch. The Bruins are looking for center depth that can handle playoff minutes, win faceoffs, and bring edge… Something notably missing since the retirement of Patrice Bergeron… Trocheck fits that bill. One sneaky team I wouldn’t rule out? Buffalo. The Sabres have been patient, but Trocheck could be the type of move that finally signals they’re ready to take the next step.
Pettersson the Potential Big Swing
If Panarin does move, the Rangers would clear roughly $11 million, and that’s where Elias Pettersson enters the picture. Right now, the Rangers appear to be the favorite by a decent margin. They have the potentia cap flexibility and a clear need for a franchise center. You know how sometimes the weatherman says that, despite the fact that there’s no signs of it on the radar all the elements are in place for a major storm? That would be how I would classify EP 47 to New York.LA and Chicago remain in the background, with the Blackhawks especially motivated to improve long-term despite likely missing the playoffs.
I very much agree with the angry rangers fan whose article I posted the other day. I really think this letter the sent out that they sent out was atrocious, and an awful ridiculous thing to do,…but maybe, just maybe, this was to set up the Panera for Pettersson swap…. if you wanted to define “retooling,” I guess that would be one way to do it. To me, this feels less like a teardown and more like a strategic reset for the Rangers. If they pull this off, it could be one of the moves that reshapes the entire deadline landscape.