Free agent forward Artemi Panarin is going to sign with somebody shortly after the NHL free agent signing period kicks off at noon Monday, and Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton certainly would love that somebody to be the Rangers.
But if Panarin, the former Columbus Blue Jackets winger, ultimately chooses to go to Florida, or even the Islanders, Gorton won’t be scrambling desperately to find a Plan B. Gorton and the Rangers have had a busy summer already, upgrading the roster and significantly accelerating the team’s rebuild.
“I don’t feel like we need to do anything, to be honest with you,’’ Gorton told reporters a week ago, at the conclusion of an NHL Draft that saw the Rangers take Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko.