Artemi Panarin was held out of the New York Rangers’ lineup during Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena for roster management purposes. The star forward is also expected to miss the Rangers’ final game before the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 roster freeze on Feb. 4, as the team faces the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 5.
Panarin Faces Uncertain Future as Rangers Plan Roster Changes Before Trade Deadline
Panarin, in the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract with a full no-movement clause, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Rangers general manager Chris Drury previously informed Panarin that the team does not plan to offer a new contract. Instead, the organization intends to help him find a new team before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline on March 6. Keeping Panarin out of the lineup could be part of a strategy to either protect him from injury in advance of a potential trade or facilitate a move to another team.
Artemi Panarin (NHL)Panarin expressed understanding about the team’s direction after a Jan. 17 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers, stating, “The team decided to go in a different direction. I’m OK with that.” The decision to scratch him came less than two weeks after Drury publicly announced a retooling of the Rangers’ roster, citing the team’s underperformance and injuries to key players. The Rangers currently hold a 22-26-6 record and are last in the Eastern Conference with 50 points, going 3-10-2 in their past 15 games.
Panarin’s Consistent Elite Performance Highlights Rangers’ Need for Strategic Roster Adjustments
Despite the team’s struggles, Panarin has continued to excel individually. He leads the Rangers with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists) in 52 games and has been New York’s top scorer every season since joining in 2019-20. Over his Rangers career, Panarin has accumulated 607 points (205 goals, 402 assists) in 482 games, ranking 14th in franchise goals, eighth in assists, ninth in points, and first in points per game (1.26). His 607 points also rank sixth in the NHL since 2019-20, behind Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, and Nikita Kucherov.
Drury emphasized the retooling strategy in a Jan. 16 letter, noting, “We are not going to stand pat. A shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.” The Rangers recently traded defenseman Carson Soucy to the Islanders, signaling that roster adjustments are underway as New York prepares for the Olympic break and potential trades leading up to the deadline.
