Artemi Panarin has been traded for shocking return!

The LA Kings have acquired standout forward Artemi Panarin from the NY Rangers in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree. The Rangers are also retaining 50% of Panarin's salary for the remainder of the season.

According to Mollie Walker, a conditional 3rd that can become a second if the Kings win 1 playoff round (would be better of two Kings 3rds) and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2028 if the Kings win 2 playoff rounds.

Whether there’s an extension in place between the Kings and the pending unrestricted free agent remains to be seen. According to Pierre LeBrun, no contract extension is yet in place.

"No contract extension yet but I'm told Kings and Panarin's camp are working on it..."

FULL TRADE DETAILS:

To LAK: Artemi Panarin (50% retained)

To NYR: Liam Greentree
Cond. 2026 3rd Rd Pick
Cond. 2028 4th Rd Pick
Per Frank Seravalli, Panarin camp only presented LA as option. Panarin is expected to complete contract extension shortly with Kings, they had substantive talks leading up to trade.

Conditions:
3rd becomes a 2nd with LA winning one playoff round. (Better of 3rd if they don’t win)
The 4th only transfers if LA wins two rounds.

Reports indicate that several other teams were on Panarin until the end, when the deadline struck at 3PMET. It is believed that the Tampa Bay Lightning was in the mix, but possibly more interested in the rental aspect. The Florida Panthers did not get close, especially since they could not make it work with their cap.

According to Rangers insider Peter Baugh, the Kings were the team Panarin's camp wanted to go to in the end.

The decision comes one week after the Rangers began holding Panarin out of the lineup as part of roster management while exploring trade options, and at the very end of the deadline for the NHL’s 3 p.m. ET Olympic roster freeze. Panarin is in the final season of the seven-year, $81.5 million contract he signed in 2019, a deal that carries an $11.64-million cap hit and includes a full no-movement clause.

Reports have indicated that Panarin is seeking a four-year extension at approximately $11 million per season in order to waive that clause and facilitate a trade. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, the 34-year-old winger remains the Rangers’ most productive forward, leading the team with 57 points in 52 games while ranking second among forwards in average ice time at 20:54 per night.

Panarin has led New York in scoring in each of the past six seasons and is coming off a career-best 2023-24 campaign in which he recorded 49 goals and 120 points. Any move involving Panarin would mark a significant shift for the organization and follows general manager Chris Drury’s recent letter to fans outlining a franchise “retool.”

The Rangers’ on-ice struggles have only accelerated that direction. New York has lost three straight games and sits at 2-8-0 over its last 10, placing them last in the Eastern Conference and third-last in the NHL.

The trade freeze will remain in place until February 22nd.