Which team would be the best rental destination for Artemi Panarin?

As we get close to a month away from the NHL trade deadline, and with a trade freeze to set in over the forthcoming Olympic break, NHL general managers only have a couple weeks left in which they can execute deals before the deadline.

In an otherwise tightly contested Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers have established as the most clear and obvious sellers on the market. With 50 points through 56 games, they sit dead last in the conference, eight points back of the next worst team. GM Chris Drury announced the team’s intention to “retool” in a letter to the fans last month, and they’ve already begun their player auction by shipping defenseman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders. The big shoe to drop is star winger Artemi Panarin, who is the final season of his seven-year deal with the Rangers. Speculation has swirled that Panarin is looking for an extension with the team that acquires him, but he could also make a great rental for any team looking to go all in this season.

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed which teams should pursue Panarin as a hired gun for the rest of the year.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Fill in the blank, Hutts. If Panarin is going to be a rental, the best would be…

Carter Hutton: Florida, but not Florida. Tampa Bay, Florida. I think he can go to Tampa Bay. This is a team that is past their hangover from the Stanley Cup runs. I get it, I don’t think the Florida Panthers are a horrible team by any means, but that is a lot of hockey to recover from. I look at Kucherov, I look at some of these pieces. If they can give enough up to make the Rangers happy as a rental, or if Panarin drags his feet in a sense and says “I’m not signing anywhere so I’m going to wait until free agency”, they have to move him to get something. I think this has sex appeal to him. This is one of the strongest teams in the East. He gets to go to Florida, he gets to play with a fellow Russian. I think that’s important. And then, if he kicks his feet back and says “OK, in free agency I’m going to go out and try to get as much money as I can”, after a big playoff run he might be worth even more.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Friday’s episode here…