The Los Angeles Kings are acquiring winger Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers for a conditional third-round draft pick and prospect Liam Greentree, according to a person with knowledge of the trade.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the NHL trade had not been announced. Because Panarin had a full no-movement clause, he was able to control his destination to go to L.A., and the Rangers retained half of his $11.6 million US salary cap hit, the person said.
If the Kings win a playoff round, the pick becomes a second-rounder. If they reach the Western Conference final, the Rangers also get a 2028 fourth-round pick.
The deal takes the best player available off the market more than a month before the March 6 trade deadline. It beat the 3 p.m. ET Olympic trade freeze by minutes.
Panarin led the Rangers in scoring every season since signing with them as a free agent in 2019.
They began scratching Panarin for roster management purposes last week, opting not to risk the possibility of an injury that could scuttle trade talks. He had 19 goals and 57 points in 52 games before coming out of the lineup.
Moving on from Panarin is the first big deal of what general manager Chris Drury called a retooling process rather than a rebuild. In a letter to fans on Jan. 16, Drury said the focus would be on “obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
Greentree is a 20-year-old winger taken in the first round of the draft last year.
Trading Panarin does that more than sending depth defenseman Carson Soucy to the crosstown rival New York Islanders for a third-round pick, which was the first trade since the letter.
Vincent Trocheck, who is 32 and signed for three more seasons after his one at a reasonable salary cap hit of $5.625 million, could fetch more than Panarin if he gets dealt.
The NHL suspended injured Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Jones, 28, is in his first season with the Penguins. The club placed him on injured reserve in late October with a foot injury, then assigned him to their American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. He played one game for Wilkes-Barre in January before sustaining an upper-body injury.
Jones said through a statement released by the NHL Players Association he believes he was exposed to a contaminated substance while undergoing exosome therapy from an outside provider.
“While I did not use the prohibited substance intentionally or for performance enhancement, I understand that players are responsible for everything that enters their body and accept the discipline imposed by the program,” Jones said. “I’m sorry to have let down my teammates, the Penguins organization, and our fans.”
Jones, the younger brother of Panthers defenceman Seth Jones, had one point in seven games with the Penguins in October after signing a two-year deal with Pittsburgh last summer.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said the club “appreciates” Jones’ transparency and that Jones will follow all NHL and NHLPA protocols during the suspension. Dubas added Jones has the “full support” of the organization.
The New Jersey Devils acquired forward Nick Bjugstad in a trade with the St. Louis Blues that was completed just before the Olympic roster freeze.
They sent a conditional fourth-round pick and minor-leaguer Thomas Bordeleau for Bjugstad. It will be the last of the three fourth-rounders New Jersey currently has among its own, Dallas’ and Winnipeg’s.
Bjugstad, 33, has seven points in 35 games this season after signing with St. Louis as a free agent. The Devils getting him is the start of them using the salary cap space cleared by sending winger Ondrej Palat to the New York Islanders.
Bjugstad is signed through next season at a bargain cap hit of $1.75 million US annually. The Devils had gotten Bordeleau earlier this season in a deal with San Jose.
