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Reports have surfaced that winger Artemi Panarin is looking for a six-year deal worth $6 million per on his next contract. In this edition of the hotstove we discuss whether or not he's worth that kind of money.
Todd Cordell
Given Panarin is a RFA a year from now rather than an unrestricted free agent I don't think there should be any rush to get him extended. Personally I wouldn't give him six years at $6 million at this point and time.
He was fantastic last season but he played ~90% of his 5v5 minutes alongside the Art Ross winner in Patrick Kane. Obviously Kane benefited a lot from Panarin, too, but in their limited time apart Panarin's underlying numbers dipped a fair bit.
If the Hawks give him that kind of money they are going to have to ship out a notable player. I'd be making 100% sure he's worth the money before making that kind of commitment.
If Panarin was a UFA next summer I'd probably just give him the money, and avoid the risk of losing him, but the Blackhawks have time on their side so they may as well use it.
Jason Lewis
Big prove it year for Panarin if you ask me.
Players do well, the league adjusts, and then it is time for the player to adjust. We have only seen Act 1 of this, play, we have yet to see IF the league adjusts and if it actually makes a difference to his production.
I like Panarin personally, I presume that he will be worth the money, but a lot of very good first year players have declined in subsequent seasons. 6 Million is a lot of money for a guy who had a good rookie year, so I think the sophomore season will have a big impact on whether or not he gets what he wants here.
Adam French
Yes he is.
Panarin is a personal favourite and he has done far more in his first year than I thought he would 4 years ago when I couldn't believe nobody would waste even a 7th on the 5'10 when he had gone undrafted after being an offensive threat in the KHL in his teens in the same vein as players like Tarasenko, Kuznetsov and Yakupov (Okay, okay, but still). He played on the Goon Squad Captained by Chris Simon and always played with mediocre talent until his two years in SKA where he finally grabbed the noticed of the NHL.
So why is he worth the money? Simply because he brought the best out of Patrick Kane. Everybody has been focusing on the Art Ross and Hart winning year for Kane as his "breakthrough" and the side narrative is that this undrafted Russian was along for the ride and stole the Calder from more deserving hands. I won't doubt for a minute that Panarin doesn't have as great a season without Kane, but I doubt very much Kane has the year he does without Panarin. They have something more important than individual brilliance, they have chemistry. The scary chemistry that we find so rarely in the NHL when it comes to singularly elite individuals; Getzlaf-Perry, the Sedin's, Backstrom-OV, Seguin-Benn, Crosby and himself etc.
Kane has always been one of the most singularly talented players in the NHL, yet he has always been just a hair away from entering the top player in the game conversation. Sure, he was/is "clutch," but he never brought "it" consistently. Whether it was with Toews or on the second line with various individuals to spread scoring around, he never hit "it." Until now. What changed? He played with a player that plays off his best attributes perfectly. That's Panarin. This is a guy who has had a constant upward trend in his career and consistently got better year after year culminating in a dominant rookie year. He and Kane and magic and they need to stay together.
Sure, he could fall apart. It happens. But I doubt it. Panarin is here to stay in the NHL and he will be a top-line forward threat for years to come. This a line where one guy had 104 points and another 77 points...on the wings of a 42 point centre...let's just say Panarin is part of the solution in Chicago and at 24, WORTH IT.
Peter Tessier
What is it about players and 6 million? Did they all grow up dreaming of being Steven Austin (Lee Majors) the 6 Million dollar man?
Panarin might be worth that but he better put up those same numbers again and remember who butters his bread on the Blackhawks. Success on the Hawks is a lot like the 'team' concept you do better together in that group and system and that's hard for some to accept. The Hawks have committed cap space and Panarin is going to have to understand that and he benefits as much as they do from what's already there.
He might deserve 6 million dollars a year and for 6 years but it might not be the Hawks who are the ones paying him.
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