The San Jose Sharks have inquired about Artemi Panarin, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers would be looking for a “Brock Nelson–type” player in return. The 34-year-old forward is in the final year of his $81.5 million contract with the New York Rangers. Panarin is currently sitting on the sidelines for the remaining games before the Olympic break. Given the size of his cap hit, any deal would likely include an extension. For a team like the Sharks, this extension and their youthful roster could add some complexity to the trade.
General Manager Mike Grier has done successful multi-package deals before, leveraging draft capital in his transactions. If a Panarin trade were to go down, defenseman Mario Ferraro is one of five pending UFAs on Team Teal. However, the cost of a trade does not align with the Sharks’ rebuilding timeline centered on youth.
Teams with more established cores in their rebuild or cap space flexibility could provide more natural landing spots. A few such teams are the Anaheim Ducks, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Los Angeles Kings.
Anaheim, like the Sharks, has a clearly upwards trending youth, but may lack a consistent offensive driver on the wing. Panarin with the Ducks could give both scoring and structure to their offense, and help elevate young forwards around him. However, the Ducks mirror the Sharks in that an extension doesn’t fit for a team still centered on long-term development.
Alternatively, Detroit is well positioned financially, holding $30 million in current cap space and $12 million in projected space. Without immediate cap pressure, the Red Wings could make a move for Panarin without compromising their long-term structure.
Detroit’s power-play is ranked in the upper half of the league, where Panarin also excels. Over the course of this season, Panarin has earned 17 power-play points, demonstrating his continued role as a top producer.
By contrast, the Los Angeles Kings are also readily-competitive, making an acquisition and extension easily justifiable. In recent seasons, the Kings have made the playoffs for the past four years. With cap at $13 million in current space and $24 million in deadline flexibility, the Kings could be viable short-term.
San Jose’s inquiry shows where the Sharks currently stand in their rebuild. With age, cost, draft picks, and extension factors, Panarin fits teams consistently in contention.
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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
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