NHL free agency: 5 teams that need to sign Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin is the top free agent in this summer’s NHL free agency market. Here are the five teams that need to push hard for his services when free agency opens.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are most definitely not going to retain All-Star forward Artemi Panarin this offseason, and he figures to be the most sought-after and highest-paid free agent in this year’s NHL free agency class.

San Jose Sharks defenceman Erik Karlsson was the consensus number one pending UFA for much of the 2018-19 season. However, a series of injuries and a frustrating showing in the postseason will likely hurt his value, meaning Panarin should receive more interest and larger offers than the two-time Norris Trophy winner.

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Over his two seasons with Columbus, Panarin showed that he was anything but a product of playing on the same line as Patrick Kane. After scoring a career-high 82 points last season, he followed it up with 87 points in 2018-19.

Panarin also added 11 points in 10 playoff games, leading Columbus to their first ever playoff series win, a shocking opening-round sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning.

Practically every team would like to add him in free agency, but many of the prime Stanley Cup contenders won’t be able to afford him. Panarin should be able to land the maximum term of seven years, worth close to $10 million per season. That’s what four straight 70-point seasons will do for you.

However, there are five specific teams that stand out most as potential and realistic landing spots for Panarin. These teams are looking to compete for 2019-20, and they all have plenty of cap space to sign him to a massive contract.

Let’s take a look at five teams that need to sign Artemi Panarin when free agency begins on July 1.

5. Los Angeles Kings

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, the Los Angeles Kings have missed the postseason in three of the past five years, and they haven’t won a single series over that span.

General manager Rob Blake hasn’t displayed much of a willingness to tear it all down and rebuild entirely. He could look to move out a handful of aging and expensive veterans like Jeff Carter and Ilya Kovalchuk, but otherwise, he appears keen on trying to win with Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick, and Drew Doughty.

The Kings hired Todd McLellan as their new head coach, which is another sign that Blake wants to try to get back to winning as soon as possible. L.A. also owns the No. 4 pick in a stacked 2019 draft class, which is a good reason for Blake to be optimistic about a quick turnaround.

Blake could take it a step further by signing Panarin, who would fit in tremendously on Kopitar’s line. The Kings are one of the oldest and slowest teams in the NHL, but adding him plus the guy they take with the fourth pick could change that entirely.

It’s believed that Panarin would like to play for a big market team, and Los Angeles obviously fits the bill. Blake has just over $11.728 million in cap space to work with, per CapFriendly.

Ideally, he’d be able to move out on or two pricey veterans in order to be able to fully meet Panarin’s contract demands. If the skilled Russian is truly interested in coming to Los Angeles, Blake shouldn’t have any problem creating that cap space.

4. Dallas Stars

After missing the playoffs in consecutive years, the Dallas Stars had a wonderful turn around under first-year head coach Jim Montgomery. Anchored by Vezina Norris nominee Ben Bishop and a strong defensive system, the Stars were one goal away from reaching the Western Conference Final before losing a heartbreaking Game 7 in double overtime to the St. Louis Blues.

The Stars managed to get that far despite a down year from franchise star and captain, Jamie Benn, who had just 27 goals and 53 points. But Tyler Seguin (33 goals and 80 points) and Alexander Radulov (29 goals and 72 points) did more than enough to carry the offense.

Now, if the Stars could just get one more piece to complement the “big three” off Benn, Seguin, and Radulov. This team ranked third-last in goals for on the season (210), and adding one more big-time scorer would change the dynamic of this Dallas team.

Dallas general manager Jim Nill has about $16.44 million in cap space to work with, and with most of his core players signed long-term, now’s the opportunity for him to maximize that cap space and add a weapon of Panarin’s caliber.

Adding Panarin would allow him to move up to the top line that consists of Seguin and Radulov. Benn would move down to line two, where he could help No. 2 center Radek Faksa take his game to another level.

With a world-class goalie, three studs on offense and a stacked blue line, the Stars have most pieces in place to compete for a Stanley Cup. They just need one more big-time scorer, and adding Panarin could be the final move that helps this team reach championship glory.

2. New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are only a year into their rebuild, but general manager Jeff Gorton is in an excellent position to try and make at least one splash that can help his team compete again very soon.

Last August, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required), reported that the Rangers are Panarin’s “desired destination.” That was 10 months ago, but there aren’t any indications that he wouldn’t want to sign with the Rangers if they came calling.

New York could offer Panarin the chance to play in a huge market and with about $19 million in projected cap space, they can easily meet his contract demands. Gorton has few long-term contract commitments, and he can easily shed more salary in order to up his offer to Panarin.

With the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, the Rangers are guaranteed either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko — both of whom promise to make major impacts right away. The Rangers also landed stud Russian winger Vitali Kravtsov in last year’s draft, so the future will be arriving here in such short time.

So why shouldn’t Gorton just go for it and try to accelerate this rebuild while he has the chance? The Rangers have stockpiled on draft picks and have one of the deepest prospect pools in hockey. Gorton has plenty of house money to play with, and superstars like Panarin don’t hit free agency very often.

And who knows? Maybe Panarin would even take a bit of a discount to play in New York.

1.Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have missed the playoffs in three consecutive years now, having qualified only twice since the 2000-01 season. Given how much world-class talent they have on the roster, missing the postseason time and time again is becoming totally unacceptable.

General manager Dale Tallon hit a home run by hiring the legendary Joel Quenneville as his new head coach. The man who sits second all-time in coaching victories (890), faces similar circumstances as when he took over as bench boss of the Blackhawks in 2008-09.

Like the Panthers, those Blackhawks were stacked with promising young talents plus some impact veteran players. Like the Panthers, those Blackhawks were managed by Tallon. Like the Panthers, those Blackhawks had been one of the NHL’s worst teams for over a decade.

As Quenneville tries to lead Florida to a renaissance, Tallon can do his part by adding one or two major impact players in free agency. Back in February, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Panthers would “to take a run at” both Panarin and Vezina Trophy-winning goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky.

Panarin would reunite with Quenneville, who coached him in Chicago for two years before being dealt to Columbus. With about $21.975 million in projected cap space, the Panthers can easily outbid most teams for Panarin’s services. It also helps that Florida doesn’t carry any state taxes, so the Panthers don’t technically have to offer him the most money.

Florida already has four big-time scorers in Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Evgenii Dadonov, and Mike Hoffman. Adding Panarin would take Florida’s offense to a whole new level, and if he can be his usual 70 to 80-point self, the Panthers will be a serious championship contender.

The Panthers have most of the pieces in place to compete for a Stanley Cup. They have so much cap space and need to start winning soon. Panarin would probably love to join a budding contender in a big market while reuniting with his old coach. Add it all up, and there’s no denying that Florida is the best possible destination for Panarin and no team needs him more than they do.