Artemi Panarin is the best free agent signing in the history of the New York Rangers. But whether he’ll be back next season is an open question, especially with talks about a new contract reportedly going nowhere fast.
The seven-year, $81.5 million contract ($11.642 average annual value) Panarin signed on July 1, 2019, ends after this season. According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, who wrote about Panarin’s situation in his latest “Real Kypers” column, the 34-year-old forward made clear to the Rangers that he won’t accept a reduction from his current salary in any new contract.