Pending free agent Artemi Panarin Gives Blue Jackets Something to Think About

Well over a year after the fact it’s still hard to believe the Chicago Blackhawks traded Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017 along with a sixth-round draft pick and forward Tyler Motte for a fifth-rounder, goalie Anton Forsberg and former Hawks’ forward  Brandon Saad. Not only did Panarin score 61 goals and 90 assists for 150 points in Chicago in 162 games, he was also named the NHL’s rookie of the year for the 2015/16 season. In addition, the winger was a member of the league’s All-Rookie Team and was named an NHL Second-Team All-Star in his sophomore season.

Panarin, who just turned 27, had already made a name for himself as a star in Russia then proceeded to post 82 points in 81 games in his first season in Columbus with seven points in six playoff contests. It was a trade the Blackhawks should regret and they’ve already paid for the mistake by missing the playoffs last season and could do so again this year. However, one of the steals of the decade doesn’t really have a silver lining for Columbus since Panarin has made it known that he intends to test the waters when he becomes a free agent next July. The Blackhawks signed the sniper to a two-year contract extension worth $12 million in December, 2016, but that deal will soon expire.

It seems Panarin would like to play for a bigger-market team and one with a larger Russian community, possibly in New York, California or Florida. This means Blue Jackets’ general manager Jarmo Kekalainen now has to decide whether to try and trade his star player sooner rather than later. If Columbus hopes to make the playoffs it would serve him best to keep the star and his point production in the lineup as long as possible to achieve that goal. But Kekalainen would more or less have to make a deal now if the right offer comes along. There are numerous teams interested in Panarin, but it’s unclear how many of them would be willing to give up the farm for a rental player.

Let’s remember, just because Panarin may get traded doesn’t mean he suddenly loses his free agency eligibility. If you acquire him in a deal he still needs to be re-signed or he could walk away next summer. Therefore, you better know what the odds of signing him are before making a trade for him. If Panarin’s being honest when he says he’s more concerned about location rather than money then there’s no point in teams like Buffalo, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg making a pitch for him since he’s not likely to re-sign with them. That being said, the Blackhawks could actually rectify the situation by reacquiring Panarin as he doesn’t seem to have a problem with returning to the Windy City.

Rumors have swirled around Panarin since he let the cat out of the bag and said he’d like to play elsewhere and they’ll continue to circulate until a deal is actually made. There’s a slim chance he’ll change his mind and agree to stay in Columbus, but it’s possible if he enjoys another productive season and the team makes the playoffs again. But there’s one thing the club can’t afford to do and that’s to lose him to free agency and get absolutely nothing in return. As the season progresses more and more teams will realize their chances of making the playoffs could rest in an effective offensive player such as Panarin. This means the Blue Jackets will likely get more calls once the calendar turns to January, 2019.

And to further complicate matters for Kekalainen his top goaltender, two-time Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky, is also set to become a free agent next July and hasn’t really shown much interest in re-signing with the club. The Blue Jackets have reportedly offered the 30-year-old Brobrovsky a long-term deal, but it’s believed he might be after something similar to Carey Price‘s contract with the Montreal Canadiens, which is $84-million over eight years. With the way Price has played over the past couple of years though and with his injury problems it’s unlikely Columbus would commit to an eight-year contract and/or pay him more than $10 million a season.

A huge blockbuster trade involving both Panarin and Bobrovsky is possible, but highly unlikely due to the high cost of players and draft picks that would probably be involved. But nothing should be ruled out in the world of sports. As for Bobrovsky being traded on his own? Well, non-playoff teams wouldn’t really take a chance on him since it would be hard to convince him to re-sign with them and playoff contenders would already have a solid number one goalie. This could all change though if one of the league’s elite goalies goes down with a long-term injury. Columbus would also likely want a goalie in return in any trade since their backup Joonas Korpisalo doesn’t appear to be ready to take over as number one if Bobrovsky leaves. In the meantime, fans should expect Panarin and Bobrovsky to continue to shine for Columbus and keep them in the thick of the playoff race.