The Dallas Stars could be on the verge of landing a major star at the trade deadline for the second year in a row.
Last season, the Stars took a home run swing, landing Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes. Rantanen went on a rampage, leading the club to the Western Conference Final.
This year, the target could be New York Rangers superstar Artemi Panarin. During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman discussed how the Stars could be the frontrunners for Panarin.
Speculation kicked up since the Rangers made it clear they wouldn’t be bringing Panarin back next season. That situation ramped up the hype surrounding potential landing spots for the 34-year-old. Now, it seems that the Stars could be the team leading the way.
Friedman stated:
“I think Artemi Panarin’s preference is to go with an extension. I think there are some teams he would potentially go as a rental to; one of the teams I’ve heard he might be interested as a rental potentially is Dallas.”
There are two parts to this statement. First, Panarin is an impending UFA. Part of the trade negotiation is to see Panarin come with an extension in tow. That’s what the Stars did with Rantanen last season. So, it seems it will be another key situation this time around.
Second, Panarin holds a full no-trade clause. That’s why he would have to okay any trade. The chatter suggests that the Stars are a team he would be amenable to joining. Consequently, Panarin could be willing to waive his clause and head to Texas.
Stars May Be Willing to Take Shot at Panarin as Rental
Another rumor hitting the airwaves is that the Stars are one of the few teams willing to take on Panarin as a rental. In other words, the Stars would be open to making a deal without having a contract extension in place.
While that situation seems risky, the Stars are looking to land Panarin now and work the rest out during the offseason. If that’s the case, making a deal happen might be much easier. The Stars might hope that Panarin is enough to put them over the top. Winning a Stanley Cup would take the sting off losing Panarin in free agency if it came to that.
Dallas May Not Have the Pieces to Swing a Deal
The biggest issue, however, may be getting the pieces to swing a deal. According to Friedman, the asking price for Panarin starts with a top prospect and a first-round pick. Other pieces may be part of the deal.
In that situation, the Stars may struggle to come up with the pieces the Rangers could want for Panarin. Dallas only has a first-round pick for 2027 and mid-round picks for 2026. As for prospects, perhaps the lack of high-end young pieces could be offset by sending someone like Jason Robertson the other way.
Otherwise, the Stars might need to part with several pieces to get the deal across the finish line. It’s worth pointing out that the Rangers will sit Panarin out for the remainder of the games leading up to the Olympic break. So, a trade could be on the horizon sooner than expected.
Stars Could Be Poised to Land Major Star: Insider