Artemi Panarin to San Jose? The rumors are out there

"Artemi Panarin is likely the first trade domino to fall for the New York Rangers. He's also the only player we know for sure the Rangers are trading. With that in mind, we have some interesting rumors surrounding Panarin, as Elliotte Friedman has floated San Jose as a potential team to watch. While Friedman was spitballing, this grew legs. Panarin to San Jose would certainly be surprising, so let's break this down a bit."

"The Sharks are buyers. They sent a prospect and two second round picks to Vancouver for Kiefer Sherwood to shore up depth, putting them on the map as buyers. Panarin to San Jose would add another elite talent up front as the Sharks look to compete in a weak Pacific Division, where they currently sit in third place. Despite all their firepower, San Jose only has 152 goals, a distant third to Vegas and Edmonton, both ahead of them in the standings."

"Panarin to San Jose, with an extension in place, gives them a bonafide star on the ice to put alongside Macklin Celebrini. On the surface, it makes little sense for the Sharks to trade for Panarin, but there's a bit more to it. Outside of Celebrini, San Jose's highest scorer is Alex Wennberg with 10 goals and 33 points. Will Smith missed time and has 31 points in 33 games, but both Colin Graf and William Eklund are under a point per game."

Artemi Panarin is likely the first trade departure from the New York Rangers and is confirmed as the only player the team will trade. Rumors link Panarin to the San Jose Sharks, who have recently acted as buyers by acquiring Kiefer Sherwood with a prospect and two second-round picks. San Jose sits third in the Pacific but has only 152 goals, signaling a need for elite scoring. Panarin with an extension would provide a top-line star beside Macklin Celebrini and add scoring depth, but an extension raises the acquisition cost and changes trade valuation dynamics.

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