The drama is finally over. The New York Rangers have traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings with just minutes to spare before the Olympic roster freeze in the 2025-26 NHL season. Now, the Kings could boast one of the best forward lines across the league.
By adding Panarin to the equation, Los Angeles could now put forward the following forward lines. It’s still early to tell where ‘The Breadman’ will play, but there is a chance he is placed on the first forward line immediately upon arrival.
Such a move could send Corey Perry down to the second unit, setting off a domino effect down the left wing. If that were the case, here is how the Kings could look, according to Daily Faceoff.
- Artemi Panarin LW – Alex Laferriere C – Adrian Kempe RW
- Corey Perry – Anze Kopitar – Joel Armia
- Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Andrei Kuzmenko
- Kevin Fiala – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward
Artemi Panarin #10 of the Rangers in action against the Sabres.
What’s next for Panarin?
Amid much uncertainty about his future, Panarin made one thing clear to the Rangers before being traded to the Kings. Moreover, ‘The Breadman’ expressed a deep desire: wherever he was headed next, he planned to stay there for a while. Therefore, as soon as news broke of his blockbuster trade to the Kings, the buzz shifted to contract talks.
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Artemi Panarin’s contract details with LA Kings revealed as NY Rangers reportedly accept sacrifice in trade
Panarin is playing on the final season of his seven-year, $81.5 million deal. That meant he would become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in the summer of 2026. According to reports, the Rangers made a sacrifice to trade Panarin to Los Angeles, eating up a considerable percentage of his cap hit for the 2025-26 NHL season.
As a result, the Kings will enjoy Panarin at a discount for the second-half of the campaign. However, re-signing Panarin to an extension was also a part of the trade with the Rangers, and the Kings have now hold on to their end of the bargain. According to Chris Johnston, the Kings have agreed to a two-year, $22 million extension with Panarin. With that, all the drama around Panarin has now been put to rest. Barring a shocking trade deadline move, Panarin will stay in Los Angeles through the 2027-28 NHL season.
