Rangers GM Not Rushing With Artemi Panarin Contract

Artemi Panarin has a lot riding on the upcoming New York Rangers' season.

Panarin is the Rangers leading scorer — and has been for all of his six years with the franchise — but he is a pending unrestricted free agent and will turn 34 years old this upcoming October. To be fair, the Rangers also have a lot riding on the 2024-25 season, with the Blueshirts coming off missing the postseason entirely the very year after winning the Presidents' Trophy.

Panarin's point-per-game did drop in 2024-25, but he also scored 37 goals (the second most in his career) and remained the driving force of the team’s offense.

New York Rangers insiders and The Athletic's reporters Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano recently wrote that the upcoming year should serve as a major decision-maker for Rangers' President and General Manager Chris Drury in terms of Panarin's future.

But, they also wrote that it doesn't appear Drury is in too big of a rush.

"Our sense is he’s in no big rush," Baugh and Mercogliano wrote. "The Rangers have cap flexibility, but they’re closely monitoring what’s happening with some of the big names who could hit free agency next summer."

The right-handed, Russian native was undrafted and originally got his start in the league with the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets before being signed as a free agent by the Rangers on July 1, 2019.

The previously mentioned New York Times' reporters also pointed out that the world surrounding NHL contracts is currently changing.

"If any make it to market or come available via trade, expect Drury to be aggressive. The situation in Minnesota, where star winger Kirill Kaprizov just rejected the most lucrative contract offer in NHL history, bears watching," Baugh and Mercogliano also said.

Panarin's agent is currently listed as Paul Theofanous, which is the same agent as Kirill Kaprizo.

On his career so far, Panarin has tallied 870 points across 302 goals and 568 assists. His very first year in the league with Chicago saw him put up a whopping 77 points.

Other big names on the Rangers' offensive side of the roster include Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller.