With the roster freeze now in effect until after the Winter Olympics, the Carolina Hurricanes remain the same for the moment. Their hunt for Rangers' winger Artemi Panarin has come up empty, with the superstar headed to the Los Angeles Kings after a last-minute move before the long pause. It's yet another attempt for the Canes to make a splash that has come up empty.
The return for a player of Panarin's caliber seems incredibly small, but the Rangers must've really liked it. The Kings gave up prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round pick (2026), and a conditional 4th-round pick (2028), with the Rangers retaining half of his remaining cap hit. The trade was shortly followed by an extension, keeping Panarin in LA for two years at $11 million.
With the Rangers falling further down the standings, the team made the decision to scratch Panarin for roster management purposes. They made it clear that Panarin wouldn't be extended at the end of the season if he remained on the roster, so this felt like the natural progression of things. They wanted to get it done before the Olympics, and the Kings were happy to oblige.
While the Canes didn't land Panarin, it's still not necessarily the worst thing in the world. In fact, if he wasn't being traded to the Hurricanes, this was the best alternative we could've asked for. Panarin is now a non-factor in the division and the conference, preventing potential front runners for him, like Tampa Bay and Washington, from making waves. Plus, the Canes will now only face him twice a year.
Despite being placed firmly in the discussion to acquire him, it appears that the Hurricanes, despite their valiant efforts, were never really an option for Panarin. Once the details were ironed out with the Kings, it was reported that Los Angeles was the only place he wanted to go. It contradicts a lot of what we'd previously been told, but that helped to ease the blow a little
The Canes not getting a trade done before the roster freeze isn't the end of the world. This was seen as a soft deadline, with the real trade deadline coming on March 6. There will be a little over a week for the front office to find a trade partner before turning their attention to the stretch run and the playoffs, which the Canes are certain to play a major part in.
I remain firm in my determination that not landing Panarin isn't the end of the world. The Canes' most pressing need to address at the trade deadline is a second-line center, so focusing their attention on that spot could prove more beneficial. At the end of the day, I see this as being the next-best outcome for the Canes. It might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.