Artemi Panarin’s future with the New York Rangers is now a big question, and the talk is getting louder as the 2025-26 season goes on. NHL insider Frank Seravalli said on B/R Open Ice that the Rangers’ place in the standings will decide everything. If the team stays in the playoff race, Panarin may stay. But if the Rangers fall out, Seravalli said they could “very likely” trade the star winger.
Why Artemi Panarin’s Rangers future depends on the standings
Frank Seravalli made it clear that the Rangers’ place in the Metro race is the biggest factor. He said, “A lot will depend on the Ranger standings and where they’re at,” on B/R Open Ice.
The Rangers have been up and down this season, but Seravalli still feels they can make a push. He believes they can fight for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. But the tone changes if New York slips too far back. He explained that if the Rangers “are well outside of the picture,” then they are “very likely to be moving Artemi Panarin.”
If the Rangers are on the outside looking in, chances are that Artemi Panarin will be on the move, per @frank_seravalli pic.twitter.com/6ca0nvWPZc
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 2, 2025
As of now, the Rangers sit at 14-12-2, which puts them seventh in the Metro. They are dealing with injuries like Adam Fox on LTIR and a mid-level goals-for and goals-against balance. So, their season could go either way, and that makes Panarin’s future even more uncertain.
Artemi Panarin’s strong play and contract demands creating a tough call
Even at 34 years old, Artemi Panarin is still a top player. He has 28 points in 28 games, with 8 goals and 20 assists. He even had a four-point game against the Boston Bruins recently. Seravalli said the Rangers “have been thrilled with his impact,” and they love what he brings.
But the contract talks are the real problem. Seravalli said Panarin wants a long-term deal with a high salary. The Rangers, however, seem more open to a shorter deal. He explained that Panarin’s camp is thinking “much more long-term,” while the Rangers and GM Chris Drury have limits on what they can offer.
Panarin is in the final year of his contract, and after 11 NHL seasons, he has always been a strong scorer. Even though he is not putting up the 120-point numbers from his huge 2023-24 season, he is still playing at an elite level.
What happens next for Artemi Panarin and the Rangers?
Seravalli said the team has time to make a choice, since it is only December. But the final call will come down to how the Rangers play in the next few months. If they stay close to the playoff line, Panarin might stay. If they fall behind, he could become one of the biggest trade-deadline names in the league.
For now, the Rangers’ season is still hanging in the balance, and so is Artemi Panarin’s future in New York.
