The Detroit Red Wings will not be adding New York Rangers star winger Artemi Panarin after he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a blockbuster deal.
The Kings acquired Panarin in exchange for prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick, leaving Detroit out of the running despite reportedly being in the mix. If the Kings win a playoff round this year, the third-round pick becomes a second-round and if they win two playoff rounds, they will also receive a fourth-round pick in 2028.
New York will be retaining 50 per cent of Panarin's contract for the remainder of this season and the Kings have also agreed on a two-year extension with Panarin, that is believed to carry a cap hit of $11 million per season.
Detroit has an opening on the top line alongside captain Dylan Larkin and rising star Lucas Raymond. Panarin, 34, would have been a natural fit, providing elite scoring, playmaking, and veteran leadership to complement the young core.
Panarin is having another standout season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games, putting him on pace for 86 points over 78 games. This marks the ninth consecutive season he has averaged more than a point per game.
Since 2019–20, Panarin ranks among the league’s top six scorers with 205 goals and 402 assists for 607 points in 482 games, making him one of the most productive forwards in the NHL over the past four seasons.
The Rangers are adding an exciting young talent in 20-year-old forward Liam Greentree, a first-round pick at 26th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, who is expected to develop further in the juniors before making his NHL debut.
The Oshawa, Ontario native likely won't join the New York till next season or possibly even later. Currently captaining the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL for the past three seasons, Greentree has been a standout performer this year, recording 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points in just 34 games.
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The Red Wings’ pursuit of Panarin showed GM Steve Yzerman potentially eyeing a move to accelerate the rebuild, but in the end, they could not convince the star winger to join the Motor City.
Detroit will now continue its season without the veteran star and while missing out on Panarin is a setback, it also leaves the Red Wings with flexibility to explore other options before the trade deadline or in future seasons.
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