NHL Trade Rumors: Blue Jackets testing market for Artemi Panarin

Could the Blue Jackets pursue an Artemi Panarin trade? The latest NHL trade rumors suggest they’re listening to offers. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have an important summer ahead of them. They have a lot of cap space but must consider their future when making moves. Specifically, next season is when franchise goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and star forward Artemi Panarin become unrestricted free agents. With the latter reportedly not open to an extension, the latest NHL trade rumors suggest Columbus is testing the market for him.

It seems unlikely the Jackets will move Panarin for anything less than a monumental return. Even if they can’t extend him, Columbus has a darn good team. It might be worthwhile for them to keep the band together as they try to win the Stanley Cup.

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Remember, they were a goal post away from having the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals down 3-0 in the first round.

Should the Jackets decide to field offers for Panarin, they would have a long list of suitors. Though he has just one year left on his current deal, he has a very reasonable $6 million cap hit. Panarin helped lead the Blue Jackets to the playoffs last season after leading the team in goals, assists, and points.

In 2017-18, he ranked 20th in the league in points with 82 in 81 games. Panarin’s 55 assists put him tied for 16th in the NHL among all players and tied for 15th among forwards.

It’s hard to gauge what it would cost to acquire him in a trade because players of his caliber are rarely traded with a full season left on their deal.

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Expect the Jackets to hang on to Panarin unless a team blows them away with an offer that would benefit them right now. Columbus can always hang onto him and trade him at the trade deadline if things don’t go well. Or they could risk losing him for nothing, but still pursue the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title.

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