Rangers' Panarin Linked To Stanley Cup Contender

The New York Rangers are having another bad season and the team has the worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference. They are also the only team under .500 in the East and have lost eight of their last 10 games.

It makes too much sense for the Rangers to sell and they have the means to change things up and bring in helpful pieces. The big trade candidate is Artemi Panarin, who had reportedly rejected a big contract extension and isn't going to take a team-friendly deal to stick around. The Rangers might be able to convince him with more money, but haven't seemed to reach any deal on that front.

In terms of who could acquire Panarin, there are some ideas. Elliotte Friedman said, "The other team I really wonder about is Colorado. Don't forget, when (Panarin) signed with New York, Colorado offered him something like 4x13. They offered him a short-term, big money deal before they had to re-sign MacKinnon. Could you imagine Panarin on that tea, and what it might look like?"

Panarin has a. $11.642 million AAV cap hit, so first thing in trading him would be salary cap retention on his contract. Up to 50% with how large that contract is. If the Rangers are dealing with the Colorado Avalanche, then there would also have to be money going back to make it work.

The Avalanche have $1.5 million in cap space right now, and even with trading someone like Ross Colton, more cap space would have to be cleared. Either the Avalanche would have to run short on players or a third team involved who can retain cap. Given how dominant Colorado has been this season and how much Panarin would put them over the top, it's a small price to pay for a third team to enter the trade to retain cap for the rest of the season and receive a mid-round pick.

Colton would only be part of the deal. There's no doubt Panarin is going to cost a first-round pick and more. Potentially a prospect on top of that for the 20 or so regular season games and however many playoff games the Avalanche get him for. Colorado won't be able to keep Panarin after the season and the Rangers would get Colton for another year, plus the extra pieces involved in the trade. It makes sense and not a long-shot from coming true at some point this season.