Artemi Panarin kinda screws the Rangers on his way out….

Right at the trade deadline on Wednesday, just minutes before the NHL imposed its roster freeze ahead of the Olympic break, the New York Rangers traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. In return, New York received a conditional third-round draft pick and prospect Liam Greentree. Almost immediately after the deal, Panarin signed a two-year, $22 million extension with the Kings.

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Few around the league had pegged Los Angeles as the frontrunner for the Russian star. Panarin’s camp kept his intentions close to the vest, and the move highlights just how much control a player can exert when armed with a no-movement clause.

As Dan Rosen explains, the Rangers had little leverage in the negotiations. Los Angeles was the only team Panarin wanted to join, which limited New York’s options and suppressed the return they could extract. This situation serves as a textbook example of how no-movement and no-trade clauses can impact trade value. Especially for teams trying to maximize assets during a rebuild or retool.

In a press conference later on Wednesday, general manager Chris Drury revealed that late this morning Panarin informed him LA was the only place he’d waive the NMC for after talking to teams about extensions. He aded that Panarin earned a NMC in his initial contract.

“He’s got a lot of control over the situation. He earned it and deserved it.”

Drury had more praised for his former player, but also commented on the pieces he acquired in the transaction, calling Panarin “arguably the best free-agent signing in the 100-year history of the franchise.”He went on to mention how happy they are to get Greentree and reiterated some of the “retool” points from the letter. He is focused on building a team that can win a Stanley Cup, not just get into the playoffs.

For Rangers fans, it’s a tough pill to swallow: their star leaves town, and the return feels minimal. For the Kings, patience paid off, and they now add one of the NHL’s most dynamic forwards to a roster already vying for playoff contention.

Panarin and the Kings are set to return to Madison Square Garden on March 16, a matchup sure to draw attention from both sets of fans, and plenty of reminders of just how much influence elite players can wield in today’s NHL.