Mike Sullivan sends clear message to NY Rangers about trading Artemi Panarin

The clock is ticking in New York City. At any given moment now, the New York Rangers will confirm Artemi Panarin’s trade to another NHL organization. With the two sides seemingly past the point of no return, head coach Mike Sullivan voiced a strong reminder to the organization.

“He’s not an easy guy to replace,” Sullivan said about Panarin, via @SNYRangers on X. “[Panarin is] a terrific player and a great teammate. He’s good friends with a lot of guys that are in that dressing room. That has an impact on guys. He’s one of the best Rangers of his generation.”

While the Rangers have made it clear that Panarin’s time in New York is down to his final hours, they don’t appear to be in a rush to land a bona fide replacement for the Russian star. If anything, the Broadway Blueshirts seem focused on acquiring draft picks or young assets, opting to play the long game after a 2025–26 NHL season that has been anything but encouraging.

One way or another, Sullivan would like to see the team find a replacement for Panarin. However, all signs suggest that doing so is not currently a top priority for the organization. Though mostly a farewell message, Sullivan’s comments on Panarin are also a reminder to the front office that shipping him off may be a reasonable patch, but not a long-term solution.

Update on Panarin

The Rangers announced that Brett Berard has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack, shortly after Panarin was a healthy scratch during the 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders.

With no injuries keeping him sidelined—his absence attributed entirely to “roster management” reasons—the writing is on the wall. Barring a shocking turn of events, Panarin has likely played his last NHL game in a Blueshirts jersey.

Where to next?

Where will he be traded? That’s now the million-dollar question in the Big Apple. What’s clear, though, is that the Rangers will have to absorb a portion of Panarin’s $11.6 million cap hit.

Without that, any trade candidate is likely off the table, leaving the team to watch “The Breadman” sign elsewhere in free agency. Even for an organization that’s endured as much as the Rangers have in recent years, an ending like this could cost several top executives their jobs.