Artemi Panarin’s time with the Rangers may be approaching its end, as the team opted to remove the 34-year-old from its lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Islanders. New York has been seeking a trade partner for Panarin after announcing publicly that it would not be offering him a new contract at the end of this season.
The Rangers intend to hold Panarin out through the Olympic break, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who notes the team is “playing it safe until a trade materializes.” The trade deadline is on March 6, 2026, so they’ll have until then to find a team to do business with.
