There will be no shortage of drama in the NHL during the next few weeks. A lot of big names are in play and some of them weren’t previously expected to be there. The latest player to be thrown into the mix is Artemi Panarin of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Panarin is one of the best forwards in the league and is due for a new contract at the conclusion of this season. He will be an unrestricted free agent. Columbus has interest in having him re-sign however the Blue Jackets forward does not want to commit to the team at this time. He will want to test the market for the first time in his career. He is 26 years old and will want a healthy raise on his 6M annual salary and probably have a say in where that is. It puts Columbus in a bad spot where they will more than likely move him as opposed to losing him for nothing. He’s too valuable an asset to let walk.

Panarin would certainly look awesome in Pittsburgh. Phil Kessel rumors don’t seem to be dying down. I don’t think it would be likely to see these two players involved in the same trade, but I could see Panarin as the type of player the Penguins would want if they did move Kessel. Making things complicated, as always, is trading within your division for an impact player. It isn’t a common thing that happens.

Here’s why I would look into Panarin even if it is a pipe dream. The following is a visualization of the Ryan Stimson passing data that has been collected from the past few seasons



Panarin would be a wonderful player to have in the lineup if Phil was traded. There’s just going to be a lot of interest and a hefty price to pay.

Thanks for reading!

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