Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Artemi Panarin to the Edmonton Oilers is a loud trade rumor, and the cap squeeze is the whole story.
Panarin is in the final season of his Rangers deal, and he carries an $11.642,857 cap hit.
He’s still producing, with 19-38-57 in 52 games in 2025-26.
That’s exactly why this idea won’t die.
The Oilers are sitting at 28-20-8, and everyone knows what their window is.
The post’s angle is simple, Edmonton can justify a "one big swing" if New York is retooling.
The first hurdle is Panarin’s full no-move, nothing happens without his yes.
The second hurdle is cash, and it probably means salary retention and money going out.
Artemi Panarin puts the Edmonton Oilers on tilt
Oilers fans would love the highlight reels, but they’d also be terrified of what it costs in bodies and picks.
Friedman has said Panarin would prefer a trade that comes with an extension, not just a rental.
That matters, because Edmonton can’t do this and then watch him walk in July.
If the Rangers keep him, they risk losing a premium asset for nothing.
If they move him, they need real futures back, and a contender’s first-rounder starts the conversation.
On the ice, Panarin would ride top-six minutes, juice the man advantage, and force teams to pick their poison.
The flip side is depth, because shipping out middle-six contracts can leave you one injury away from chaos.
If this ever gets real, it won’t feel like fantasy, it’ll feel like deadline week panic with a Cup-shaped upside.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 3|128 ANSWERS Artemi Panarin to the Oilers feels more real after new report Should the Edmonton Oilers go all-in for Artemi Panarin? | ||
| Yes | 65 | 50.8 % |
| No | 63 | 49.2 % |
| List of polls | ||