Takeaways From the Artemi Panarin Trade

Although everything has happened so suddenly, here are my takeaways from the deal.

Kings get offense

By now, we all know the Kings have been starving for offense. With Panarin, Los Angeles gets a player who will instantly slide into the top six of their forward group. Panarin has 57 points (19 G, 38 A) in 52 games with the Rangers this season. With the Kings playing a defense-first system, we’ll see if Panarin will be the same player for the Kings as he was with the Rangers (more on that later).

Fair price

This isn’t a bad deal for the Kings from my perspective. Two conditional picks and a prospect? You take that deal anytime. While I valued Greentree highly over the last year, you have to give up an important asset to get something in return. The two-year extension for the Breadman should soften the blow a little bit, but the Kings’ shallow prospect pool is now extremely thin up front, with Greentree off to New York.

Kings are all in, but is it enough?

The mindset when Holland joined was to be all-in and go for the Stanley Cup. That thought process hasn’t changed. The Kings are all in as Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar are in the twilight of their careers, but is it enough? I’m not sure if Panarin alone puts the Kings above the Colorado Avalanche or the Dallas Stars. Is it enough to finally slay the dragon in Edmonton that’s been in their way for four straight years? It’s a gamble, but Holland is always one who isn’t afraid to take a gamble for better or worse.

Are Panarin and the Kings a match?

Offensive-minded player versus a defensive-first-oriented team. When you come to California and play for the Kings, you not only have to deal with the California taxes, but also the Kings’ tax. From reports, it sounds as if Panarin had the Kings as his top destination. There’s no denying Panarin’s talents, but can he fit in Jim Hiller’s defense-first system? That will be something to watch for.