The roster freeze around the league in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings early this month in early February before the Winter Olympic break this upcoming week in Italy takes place on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 4).
Could the Los Angeles Kings make the move to pay Artemi Panarin in the double-digits per year in average annual value for a contract extension deal?
The name that has circulated the most around various rumors and discussions concerning the media with the Kings and new general manager Ken Holland is New York Rangers star forward Artemi Panarin on the trade block before the deadline next month in early March.
Holland and the Kings have been reported multiple times this past month to be prioritizing at least kicking the tires on a potential Panarin trade on the block with the Rangers this regular season in the West. The Kings' front office and Holland have been having "difficult conversations" regarding the team's roster construction in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season, and seeing whether it is worth it to pursue a top-six scoring forward offensively on the trade block this month.
Panarin is currently looking for a contract extension deal with whatever team he's traded to this regular season from the Rangers in New York in the East. He's registered an impressive 19 goals, 37 assists, and over 50 total points this regular season in 51 games played with a bad Rangers team in the East in the Metropolitan Division.
On the Saturday Headlines segment on Sportsnet this past weekend, on Jan. 31, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Kings are one of roughly a half-dozen teams in the league in the NHL this regular season interested in trading from Panarin from the Rangers in New York.
The other teams included with the Kings from Friedman's report that are interested in trading for Panarin and giving him a contract extension deal from the Rangers this regular season are the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and Washington Capitals.
Panarin could help the Kings improve offensively and with playmaking with the top-six forward lines core group in the active roster lineup this regular season in the West from the trade block. He could also help the Kings get over the hump in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season in the standings offensively.
I think the biggest question for the Kings regarding the potential pursuit on the trade block in the West this regular season before the deadline for Panarin from the Rangers in New York would be whether he can realistically help the team get far in the postseason in the playoffs this upcoming spring.
The Kings are probably a good team in the West this regular season. In this past couple of weeks, the Kings went 3-1-1 on the road in the five-game road trip in the East Coast, including three points in the standings in the West this past weekend against the Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes in Carolina.
Panarin is the big fish on the trade market, with the Kings in potential discussions and rumors to get him on the block this regular season for Holland and the LA front office in the Pacific Division.
Teams around the league that reportedly want to trade for Panarin but are hesitant to give him a contract extension deal include the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Anaheim Ducks from the Western Conference.
I don't know if I can confidently say that the Kings would be a full Western Conference contender in the postseason this spring in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup Finals series. Trading for Panarin might not be the immediate impact and win-now push in the West in the Pacific Division for head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings' team this regular season.
It's hard to see the Kings just putting all the right pieces together down stretch this regular season in the West. Getting a player like Panarin would be probably the biggest splash move the Kings could make on the trade block this regular season in the next month or so before the deadline in early March.