Trade Rumors: Artemi Panarin to Vancouver for Elias Pettersson?
A surprising offseason trade proposal has surfaced, suggesting that the New York Rangers could send their star winger Artemi Panarin to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for elite center Elias Pettersson and young winger Nils Hoglander. This hypothetical deal would reunite Pettersson with JT Miller, but this time in New York rather than Vancouver. However, while the Canucks might entertain such an offer, should Rangers General Manager Chris Drury even consider this trade?
For a team like the Rangers, who consistently aim to be a playoff contender, the answer is likely a resounding no. There is already well-documented tension between Pettersson and Miller from their time as teammates in Vancouver, and reuniting them in a different city might not be the best strategy. Furthermore, when analyzing the potential impact of this deal, the trade itself appears to be an unrealistic and unnecessary gamble for New York.
Breaking Down the Proposed Trade
The suggested deal would involve multiple key players and draft picks. Here’s how it would look on paper:
To Vancouver Canucks:
Artemi Panarin (with the Rangers retaining $5 million of his salary)
Arthur Kaliyev
Minnesota’s 2025 Fifth-Round Pick
To New York Rangers:
Elias Pettersson (26-year-old elite center)
Nils Hoglander (23-year-old winger)
Vancouver’s 2025 Second-Round Pick
While the idea of adding an elite center like Pettersson might seem tempting for the Rangers, the concerns surrounding this trade outweigh any potential benefits.
The Unrealistic Nature of This Trade
At first glance, acquiring Pettersson could elevate the Rangers from a wild-card team to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. However, in reality, the trade is unlikely to happen. Pettersson has had significant issues with injuries throughout the season, which raises concerns about his durability. Meanwhile, Panarin has been one of the Rangers’ most reliable offensive forces, consistently producing at an elite level.
Beyond the injury concerns, Pettersson’s past conflicts with Miller in Vancouver add another layer of risk. The two players have had locker-room tension before, and placing them together again in a new environment could potentially cause chemistry issues for the Rangers. If there had never been drama between the two in Vancouver, this trade might have been slightly more plausible. But with their history, a reunion is highly questionable.
Other Trade Possibilities for Vancouver
If Vancouver is serious about pursuing a deal with New York, they might have better luck targeting a different player. A more reasonable target could be Jonathan Lekkerimaki, a talented Swedish winger and a former first-round pick. However, the Canucks would likely be reluctant to part ways with a promising young prospect of his caliber.
From the Rangers’ perspective, if they truly wanted to make substantial changes to their roster, trading a big-name player would be one of the first steps. According to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, New York would likely need to move key players if they wanted to reshape their core.
“If the Rangers are going to make substantial changes to their roster, they will need to move players out,” Baugh noted. “Chris Kreider is the most obvious candidate, given that Chris Drury already showed a willingness to entertain offers in November, when he sent a message to the other 31 general managers saying he’d listen on Kreider and then-captain Jacob Trouba. Moving Kreider’s $6.5 million cap hit might not be easy given his trade protection and the disappointing season he’s had.”
While Kreider seems like a more logical trade candidate, the idea of moving Panarin—who remains one of the Rangers’ most consistent scorers—does not seem to align with the team’s long-term vision.
Injury Concerns and Team Dynamics
One of the biggest reasons why this trade wouldn’t make sense for New York is Pettersson’s injury history. He has struggled with injuries this season and is already expected to miss at least four more games. Meanwhile, Panarin has been a key offensive weapon for the Rangers, providing the kind of stability that teams need in a playoff race.
Swapping an elite winger for a player dealing with injuries—who also has a history of locker-room tension with Miller—would be a massive risk for New York. Rather than strengthening the team, such a move could create more problems.
From the Canucks’ perspective, however, there is no doubt they would be interested in acquiring a player like Panarin. He would instantly boost their offense and provide a level of consistency that Vancouver has been missing. Given this, it’s understandable why Vancouver might entertain such a deal—but that doesn’t mean the Rangers should.
Why This Trade Shouldn’t Happen
While it’s always interesting to explore trade possibilities, this particular proposal seems unlikely to materialize for several reasons:
1. Panarin is too valuable to the Rangers – He remains one of their top offensive producers and has proven to be a reliable performer. Trading him would create a massive hole in New York’s forward group.
2. Pettersson’s injuries and locker-room history – The center has been dealing with injuries, and his previous issues with Miller make his fit in New York questionable.
3. The trade doesn’t benefit New York enough – While adding a young player like Hoglander and a second-round pick sounds appealing, it doesn’t outweigh the risks of giving up Panarin.
4. Chemistry concerns – Reuniting Miller and Pettersson could reignite old tensions, which would be the last thing the Rangers need while competing for a deep playoff run.
The Final Verdict
Ultimately, this trade proposal, while intriguing, is not a realistic move for the Rangers. There are too many red flags—injuries, team chemistry, and overall value discrepancies—that make this deal more of a hypothetical discussion rather than a serious possibility.
While Vancouver might be open to adding a superstar like Panarin, New York would be making a mistake by dealing away one of their most productive players for a center with injury concerns and past locker-room drama. If the Rangers are looking to make a bold move this offseason, there are better and more logical trade options to consider.
For now, it seems that Panarin will remain in New York, and Pettersson will stay in Vancouver—at least until a more reasonable trade scenario presents itself.
