Artemi Panarin is eligible to sign a contract extension with the New York Rangers, but is there any urgency for the Blueshirts to get this done?
According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today, Panarin’s contract extension is a decision the Rangers will not be rushing into.
Panarin is entering the final year of a seven-year, $81.5 million contract, and he’s in need of a contract extension.
The 34-year-old forward is still producing at a high level as he recorded a career high of 120 points during the 2023-24 campaign, and he tallied 89 points this past season.
However, given his age, it’s risky for the Rangers to commit to Panarin long term, which is why it could be wise of them to let the season play out and make their next move from there.
With a potentially loaded 2026 free-agency class, the Rangers have been reported to be interested in making a big move next summer, something that would likely only happen if Panarin took a pay cut or the Blueshirts cut bait from the Russian superstar altogether.
If the Rangers bounce back from last season’s miseries and Panarin continues to be their leading catalyst, expect the Blueshirts to have no problem re-signing him.
On the other side of the coin, if both the Rangers regress from a team standpoint and Panarin regresses from an individual standpoint, this great marriage may very well be in jeopardy.
There’s no urgency from the Rangers’ perspective to get Panarin locked up, long term and there really shouldn’t be due to these reasons.
