Rangers Trade Panarin! Rangers vs Hurricanes Pregame – What you Need to Know

With Artemi Panarin now a member of the Los Angeles Kings, the Rangers have to move forward as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes (7PM on MSG). 

Panarin Traded

• The official trade on Wednesday was Artemi Panarin at 50% retained for the rest of the season to Los Angeles for Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round selection in 2026. That third round pick will be the better of Los Angeles’ two selections, but if they win a playoff round that pick will become a second-round pick. In addition, if they will two playoff rounds, they will throw in an additional fourth-round pick
  • Following the trade, Panarin signed a two-year contract extension worth eleven million per season
  • Greentree is a former first-round selection in 2024. The 20-year-old is a right-winger who is finishing up his junior career for the Windsor Spitfires this season. Following this season, the Blueshirts will have to find a spot for the kid in the NHL or AHL
  • Last season, Greentree had 49 goals and 70 assists in 64 games in the OHL. This season he has 23 goals and 22 assists in 34 games
  • After Panarin’s agent spoke with multiple teams, it became clear from his camp in the late morning of Wednesday that they only wanted the Kings according to General Manager Chris Drury after speaking to the media on Wednesday night
  • In his career with the Rangers, Panarin recorded 607 points in 482 games making him arguably the best free agent signing in Rangers history
    • In 46 postseason games with New York, Panarin recorded 35 points.

Rangers vs Hurricanes

• The Rangers will now turn their attention to their final game before the Olympic break which will be against the Carolina Hurricanes.
  • Rangers going to the Olympics include J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck for Team USA. Head coach Mike Sullivan and assistant coach David Quinn will remain in those roles for Team USA too. Mika Zibanejad will represent Team Sweden.
• Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox will not play in the final game before the Olympic break, but Sullivan is optimistic for their availability once play resumes
  • “They’re both skating,”Sullivan said on Thursday morning. “Shesty hasn’t officially joined the team yet, but he’s been skating. Foxy has had a number of skates with the team and is knocking on the door, so I would anticipate them a whole lot closer.”
• Jonathan Quick will get the start for the Rangers. The 40-year-old has just one win in his last 15 appearances for the team
• Vincent Iorio will make his Rangers debut after being claimed off waivers
  •  Iorio is looking for a home as he will play for his third team in as many years since entering the league. The 23-year-old played in just nine games total in his first two seasons with Washington, before playing in 21 games for the Sharks this season, before being placed on waivers.
  • He is expected to make up the third-line defensive pair with Urho Vaakanainen
• Scott Morrow and Brennan Othmann are slated to be healthy scratches
  • One thing to note – players are not allowed to be sent to the AHL during the Olympic break if they have played in 16 of the team’s 20 games leading up to the break. If Othmann plays on Thursday, he will hit his 16th game
  • On the other hand, Morrow played his 16th game against the Penguins on January 31st and thus his decision to be a healthy scratch seems more like a coaches decision
• The Hurricanes currently sit at top of the Metro Division by eight points over the second-place Penguins
• Leading the Hurricanes in points is Sebastian Aho with 57 points in 56 games
  • Carolina has four players who are over 40 points. For comparison, the Rangers have just one player which is Zibanejad
• Brandon Bussi will get the start in goal for the Hurricanes. Bussi entered the season as the third-string behind Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen. Kochetkov is out for the season with injury, and Andersen has struggled mightily. Meanwhile, Bussi has ran with the job and has played very well
  • Bussi is 22-3-1 with a .906 save percentage on the season
• The Blueshirts will welcome back K’Andre Miller to MSG for the first time since trading him to Carolina this past offseason. Miller was injured an unable to play in the first meeting in New York – making this his official return to where his career began. Miller has 23 points in 48 games this season.
  • “Had this game obviously circled on the calendar for a little bit,” Miller said. “Bummed out I couldn’t play in that first game and help the guys get a win, but I’m excited to get back in the lineup tonight.”
• Thursday night will mark the last time the Rangers see the Hurricanes this season

Projected Lineup

Miller-Zibanejad-Perreault

Cuylle-Trocheck-Lafreniere

Brodzinski-Laba-Raddysh

Blidh-Carrick-Rempe

Gavrikov-Schneider

Robertson-Borgen

Vaakanainen-Iorio

Quick