Rumors often take on an unjustified life of their own, especially in the era of
 social media, but the juicy one that emerged this week regarding Artemi
Panarin';s potential interest in joining the New York Rangers after next season
 is simply too good for fans to ignore.

The Columbus Blue Jackets sniper would prefer to pull on a Blueshirt when his
contract expires after 2018-19, according to a report that certainly was going
to grab the attention of Rangers fans given its timing during the final weeks
of the offseason. Again, rumors are just that, but in this case, there just
might be some truth to the idea that one of the NHL';s best goal scorers will
seriously entertain the idea of signing with the Rangers on July 1.

Speculation swirled last season, Panarin';s first in Columbus after playing his
 first two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, that the Russian preferred a
larger market and bigger spotlight for his talents, with proximity to beaches
being a possible sweetener.  Those whispers grew considerably louder in June,
however. Eligible to sign an extension with the Jackets this summer, Panarin
said then through his agent that he wasn';t ready to talk about one at that
time.Blue Jackets left wing Artemi Panarin (Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)

Maybe Panarin really doesn';t feel like getting involved in contract
negotiations right now. It seems considerably more likely, however, that he';s
following the playbook of every star athlete whose contract status is on the
verge of becoming a distraction and is eyeing a change of scenery via free
agency - issue a vague and diplomatic statement about not wanting to focus on
the contract at the present time, then state early in the season or just before
 it that he won';t be discussing the issue again until the offseason.

Panarin, in fact, has reportedly done the second part of that as well, saying
last month through agent Dan Milstein that he won';t deal with business matters
 after Sept. 13, the date training camps open. That looks like bad news for
Columbus, and potentially exciting news for the Rangers.Panarin Would
Dramatically Accelerate Rebuild

General manager Jeff Gorton would certainly have plenty of competition for
Panarin';s services - there are awfully good beaches in Los Angeles and Florida
 - but barring a surprising re-upping with the Blue Jackets, the Blueshirts
seem certain to be heavily involved in trying to woo him to Madison Square
Garden with a seven-year deal next summer. He';ll be 27 when his two-year,
$12-million pact expires and represents an increasingly rare commodity in the
NHL - an elite goal scorer, one who';s done nothing but produce in his three
seasons in the league.

Panarin';s 88 goals in 243 career games are impressive enough, and his 145
assists over that span - he had a career-high 55 last season - show him to be a
 dynamic offensive force who lifts the game of players around him. While the
Blackhawks'; struggles last season were due to more than just the ill-advised
trade of Panarin to Columbus in June 2017, there';s little question that his
departure has left a major hole in Chicago';s lineup which it has been unable
to fill.Artemi Panarin with the Blackhawks in 2016 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

The Rangers probably won';t be interested in obtaining Panarin as a 2019 trade
deadline rental, as he would fetch a major haul of picks and prospects from an
acquiring contender. There';s no point in a rebuilding club doing that when he
can be had for nothing but money - a lot of it, of course - a few months later.
 The Blueshirts resisted any potential urge to trade for pending free agent
Kevin Shattenkirk at the 2017 deadline, an approach justified when he signed
with them in the offseason.

Should the rumor about Panarin';s interest in coming to New York prove
accurate, it would appear to be all the more enticing for the Rangers given
that they likely won';t be able to use "Stanley Cup contender" as a sales
pitch. They are rebuilding around an impressive collection of young talent, but
 2018-19 probably won';t include a deep playoff run - if the Blueshirts make
the postseason at all.

It';s more likely that the Rangers will try to sell Panarin on being the
missing piece to their rebuild, a star who can accelerate their return to
contention on the ice while he benefits from the exposure to the bright lights
of Broadway off of it. That';s, of course, assuming that the native of Korkino,
 Russia is indeed interested in that kind of thing.Top Line of Kreider,
Zibanejad, Panarin?

The theoretical possibilities are exciting ones. Placing him on a line Chris
Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, with the powerful Kreider using his speed and size
to open up the ice for the diminutive Panarin while creating space for
Zibanejad';s powerful one-timers? Pairing him with fellow Russian Pavel
Buchnevich, the talented third-year player who might be on the verge of coming
into his own next season? Maybe another one of his countrymen, Vladimir
Namestnikov, would center Panarin. There are other potential Russian
cornerstones coming through the system as well, such as goaltender Igor
Shestyorkin and this year';s highly regarded ninth overall draft pick Vitali
Kravtsov.Vitali Kravtsov (Photo: HC Traktor)

Or perhaps Panarin would click with some of the Rangers'; forward prospects who
 should be ready for bigger roles with the team after 2018-19. It';s all
speculation at this point. No one really knows if this rumor has any truth to
it, and even if it does, so much could occur to change his mind between now and
 then.

Gorton should do everything in his power to make it happen regardless. Panarin
is the offensive star the Rangers lacked even during their recent seasons of
Stanley Cup contention. Adding him would, in fact, move the rebuild
dramatically forward, allowing the Blueshirts to shape their young team around
one of the game';s top offensive talents, who isn';t exactly old himself. Not
to mention that he';ll put bodies in the expensive seats at MSG. Panarin, quite
 simply, is a guy people pay to see play.Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Rangers would be looking at seven years for at least $10 million per. With
the club set to have tons of cap space for 2019-20, though, it can easily
handle such an outlay. It would be money well spent, a signal to fans that
management is committed to getting the Blueshirts back to contention quickly
without taking shortcuts, while also avoiding a prolonged walk in the
rebuilding wilderness.

Rumors are rumors. That doesn';t mean this one can';t become reality for
Panarin and the Rangers next summer.

The post Panarin-To-Rangers Rumor Too Good to Ignore appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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