By now, every New York Rangers fan has read the letter sent out by general manager Chris Drury. The Rangers currently sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan division and, by all accounts, appear to be sellers this trade deadline. To top it all off, the Rangers have informed superstar forward Artemi Panarin that they will not be extending his contract. NHL insider Kevin Weekes revealed that nearly half the league is interested in trading for Panarin.
Among those names is the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Elite Prospects insider Cam Robinson believes the Lightning are the quiet frontrunner for the Russian star. “Just pulling on a loose strand, but I wonder if Tampa is the quiet frontrunner for Panarin,” Robinson said in a tweet yesterday. “Bjorkstrand’s $5.4M going back, a 2028 1st, a couple of 2nds, maybe a guy like Goncalves.. the framework is there. Sunshine State. Playoff-bound. Russian stars. They check all the boxes.”
The Lightning sit at the top of the Atlantic division. If they hope to hold that title, they’ll need to bolster their firepower. The Lightning already boast a bevy of talented wingers including Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel. Adding Panarin gives them the most fearsome forward core in the NHL.
Heavy Sports proposed a trade that would see the Rangers flip Panarin to Tampa Bay for a haul of picks and prospects.
Lightning receive:
- Artemi Panarin (25% retained)
Rangers receive:
- Oliver Bjorkstrand
- 2028 1st round pick
- 2026 2nd round pick
- Emil Lileberg
Rangers, Lightning Have Trade History
The Lightning and the Rangers are no strangers to blockbuster trades. Years ago, the Lightning acquired Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller from the Rangers in an extremely similar trade, sending picks and prospects back. While the front offices are quite different from 2018, the framework for a blockbuster trade is quite similar. The Rangers aren’t in a position for half measures. The Lightning are focused on going all-in.
By all accounts, this is a match made in heaven. Moving Bjorkstrand and Lileberg gives the Lightning enough salary to make the trade possible. The Rangers, on the other hand, acquire a handful of high picks and two players they can flip again for even further assets. Bjorkstrand is a solid depth forward who regularly scores at a 20-25 goal clip. Any contending team on the hunt for depth would be grateful to trade for him.
Lileberg, on the other hand, is a young defenseman with term. While he’s currently on injured reserve, he’s a capable defenseman that can play up and down the Rangers’ lineup when needed.
Rangers Restock Prospect Cupboards
In his letter, general manager Chris Drury set his expectations moving forward. “This will not be a rebuild,” Drury emphasized. “This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects. We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks, and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
If Drury’s goal is to retool, a trade with the Lightning all but guarantees a high return on investment. Between the history of the teams, the level of talent, and the draft capital at play, the Rangers stand to hit the ground running with this potential trade.
Rangers Send Superstar Forward South in Trade Pitch