The Los Angeles Kings are acquiring winger Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers for a conditional third-round draft pick and prospect Liam Greentree, according to a person with knowledge of the trade.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the trade had not been announced. Because Panarin had a full no-movement clause, he was able to control his destination to go to LA, and the Rangers retained half of his $11.6 million salary cap hit, the person said.
If the Kings win a playoff round, the pick becomes a second-rounder. If they reach the Western Conference final, the Rangers also get a 2028 fourth-round pick.
The deal takes the best player available off the market more than a month before the March 6 trade deadline. It beat the Olympic trade freeze by minutes.
Panarin led the Rangers in scoring every season since signing with them as a free agent in 2019.
They began scratching Panarin for roster management purposes last week, opting not to risk the possibility of an injury that could scuttle trade talks. He had 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 52 games before coming out of the lineup.
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Moving on from Panarin is the first big deal of what general manager Chris Drury called a retooling process rather than a rebuild. In a letter to fans on Jan. 16, Drury said the focus would be on "obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
Greentree is a 20-year-old winger taken in the first round of the draft last year.
Trading Panarin does that more than sending depth defenseman Carson Soucy to the crosstown rival New York Islanders for a third-round pick, which was the first trade since the letter. Vincent Trocheck, who is 32 and signed for three more seasons after this one at a reasonable salary cap hit of $5.625 million, could fetch more than Panarin if he gets dealt.
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