The vibes are high for the Detroit Red Wings these days, as they're in as advantageous a position through the first 50 games of a season as they've been in nearly 15 years.
For the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, the Red Wings have won 30 of their first 50 games and are currently in a first-place tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top seed in the Atlantic Division.
It also won’t be long before the NHL Trade Deadline (March 6) arrives, and if the Red Wings continue on their current trajectory, there’s a strong possibility they could be buyers.
While rumors have linked the Red Wings to Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson, a pair of NHL Insiders have instead speculated about a different player who could land in Detroit, one with a well-known prior connection to forward Patrick Kane.
Insiders Jeff Marek and Pierre McGuire discussed potential landing spots for New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin, who was informed last week by general manager Chris Drury that he will not be offered a new contract by the club.
"When you look at the landscape for Artemi Panarin, what teams jump to mind for you, Pierre?" Marek asked.
"I'm going to throw one at you - the Detroit Red Wings," McGuire said. "I think what they've done so far with this team and Todd McLellan there, I think they've amped it up. I look at that Moritz Seider/Simon Edvinsson tandem, that's a read-built defensive tandem for playoff hockey."
"You look at the quick strike capability of a guy like Lucas Raymond, you look at Alex DeBrincat's goal against Ottawa in overtime, the way he shot the puck; you look at the speed and creativity of Larkin," he continued. "Patrick Kane seems like he's having fun again."
McGuire then praised what he described as a plethora of talented young players in the Detroit system and suggested packaging some of them in a deal with the Rangers to acquire Panarin, whom he called a “perfect fit” for Detroit.
"Turn some of those young players into a guy like Panarin, I think that's the perfect fit," McGuire said.
Could Artemi Panarin be the piece the Detroit Red Wings need?@JeffMarek and Pierre McGuire discuss potential landing spots for the Rangers' pending UFA
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) January 20, 2026
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One of the most talented players in the NHL, Panarin already has a prior connection with Kane, having played alongside him with the Chicago Blackhawks and later briefly with the Rangers in 2023.
Much like Kane’s connection with Alex DeBrincat, he developed instant chemistry with Panarin upon the latter’s arrival in the NHL in 2015. The duo routinely wowed fans in Chicago, becoming one of the league’s most dangerous offensive pairings and frequently combining for highlight-reel plays that resulted in goals.
The Red Wings currently have just over $13 million in available salary cap space, which would be more than enough to absorb Panarin's cap hit (a portion of which would likely be retained by the Rangers).
However, a potential holdup in any pursuit of Panarin, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, is whether he would be willing to agree to a contract extension.
While Detroit previously showed interest in acquiring now–former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently stated that the absence of an extension was the reason no deal ultimately materialized.
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