The New York Rangers will have to decide long-term plans, and whether Artemi Panarin will be a part of them. Panarin's contract expires at the end of the 2025-2026 season, and GM Chris Drury needs to figure out whether to let him walk or extend him, according to the New York Post's Larry Brooks.![Artemi Panarin]()
New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin has been quite the Blueshirt since his arrival from Columbus.
He's been a vital part of the team for six years now, and has played 423 games in the Big Apple, and scored 543 points (183 goals, 360 assists) during his time here.
He's also hit a nice big contract to play his best hockey in Madison Square Garden, to the tune of $11.64 million AAV.
With his future in New York in question, the New York Post's Larry Brooks feels as if GM Chris Drury will need to lock him in long-term.
Instead of letting him walk in free agency, Brooks feels that Breadman loves playing on Broadway, and that should be one focal selling point for Drury.
Back in 2019, he stated how much he wanted to play for the Rangers:
«I dreamed of playing for the Rangers,» he told reporters. But that didn't mean it was an easy decision.
Now that he's six years in, and one President's Trophy later, it's obvious that keeping him on contract as a Blueshirt shouldn't be a difficult task.
With a rising salary cap, addressing Breadman's needs and wants should be paramount. Additions of talent should be addressed, as we've seen turnover from the core, which hasn't been able to defeat the Florida Panthers.
Like another superstar, Connor Bedard in Chicago, New York should focus on building around his bright spots and bolstering the blue line with players who aren't afraid to hit and have some offensive upside, like Carson Soucy.
While we don't have a projected contract yet, we expect a nice raise for the 120,- point forward.
