Rangers finally reach Artemi Panarin trade conclusion, Kings hold off rest of NHL originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It was the NHL’s biggest question before the Olympic roster freeze: Would the New York Rangers trade Artemi Panarin?

There’d still be time after the Olympics and before the league’s official trading deadline, but this felt like a line of demarcation, and there was plenty of noise that the Rangers would beat the buzzer and send Panarin out by 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

All was quiet on the NHL insider front on social media as the clock ticked 3:00. And then there it was, at 3:01, the news:

The Los Angeles Kings have acquired Panarin, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.

In return, the Rangers get a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree. Greentree was the No. 26 overall pick in 2024 and currently plays in the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires.

The Kings had been floated as one of the teams in on Panarin, in part because they have ample salary space to give him a contract extension.

Panarin is 34 years old now, and the Rangers are entering a rebuild. He’s also out of contract at the end of the season, so was never likely that New York would hold onto him through the trade deadline entirely.

He’s also still been quite productive this season. In 52 games, he has 19 goals and 38 assists, good for 57 points.

Panarin has played 804 games in his NHL career. He has totaled 321 goals and 606 assists.

He’s a four-time All Star who has suited up for the Rangers, the Blackhawks and the Blue Jackets.

Now, he’s heading to his furthest point out west, and he’ll play for the Kings.