The New York Rangers are in dire straights right now, having sunk to eighth place in the Metropolitan Division after five straight losses, the worst of which was a stunning 10-2 setback against the Boston Bruins.
The Rangers shook things up in a major way behind their bench coming into the season when they terminated head coach Peter Laviolette and hired former Stanley Cup winning coach Mike Sullivan, who had just been let go himself by the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, his presence on New York’s bench has not yet yielded the kind of results they were hoping for.
Following their most recent loss, general manager Chris Drury sent a letter out to the fans explaining that they were on the verge of a re-tooling process, and that part of that would involve bidding goodbye to some players currently on the roster.
One such player who could soon have a ticket booked out of New York is Russian-born forward Artemi Panarin, who can also become an unrestricted free-agent after this season is concluded.
According to Rangers Insider Mollie Walker of The New York Post, the Rangers have informed Panarin that he will not be offered a contract extension, which paves the way for a potential trade in the coming weeks.
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New York Rangers GM Chris Drury Sent A Letter To Fans Promising A Retool
Drury sent a letter to Rangers fans in which he promised that they would not stand pat and would be undergoing a retooling process.
“With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season we must be honest and realistic about our situation,” Drury wrote. “We are not going to stand pat. A shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.”
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Fate Of Artemi Panarin With New York Rangers Has Been Sealed