Colorado Avalanche: Artemi Panarin Trade a Pipe Dream

Even though high-end talent Artemi Panarin wants to leave Columbus, the Colorado Avalanche shouldn’t make a play for him.

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The Colorado Avalanche need scoring beyond the Nathan MacKinnon line and Tyson Barrie. That’s no secret.

The secret is how to get that secondary scoring. We all have our ideas. Personally, I’d like to see Colorado sign as a free agent a low-key scorer who can at least match Barrie’s pace — you know, who Colin Wilson was supposed to be.

Naturally, we’ve also got a stable of young talent. At the center of that stable is Colorado’s #10 draft pick from 2016, Tyson Jost. The hope is that he and his young cohorts will take the next step.

Another option is to trade for a known talent. That’s where the Artemi Panarin rumors come in.

Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin is a 26-year-old elite scoring winger. In 243 NHL games, he’s recorded 233 points (88 goals, 145 assists). He’s already recorded two 30-goal seasons plus a 27-goal season — which was an 82-point season for him.

Believe it or not, Panarin went undrafted. he started his professional career in the KHL before signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. They extended him for two years… then traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

This situation seemed ideal for both Panarin and the Blue Jackets. Panarin wanted to be the number-one, The Man, according to the Columbus Dispatch. He was never going to be that in Chicago — but he was absolutely that in Columbus.

Which is what the Jackets wanted him to be.

Artemi Panarin Rumors

Artemi Panarin has one year left on his contract extension with a cap hit of $6 million. After that, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.

According to the Dispatch, Columbus approached Panarin with a contract extension. His reply was that he didn’t want to talk extension “at this time.”

So, you’ve got to ask yourself — why would he demure? The Jackets aren’t known for being skinflints. They’re sure to throw money and term at their star — which is what most players covet. And he’s got the number-one status on the team that he said he coveted.

Well, the Dispatch states that rumor is Panarin now covets a beach. He’d like a large market and a state with no taxes.

So, let’s explore now why (if it isn’t already obvious) the Colorado Avalanche should do nothing to acquire Artemi Panarin.

Artemi Panarin and the Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche need secondary scoring, and there’s no question Artemi Panarin has the skill set to provide that in the style of hockey Colorado favors.

But then, so does Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. And we’re not getting one of those guys. We shouldn’t be looking into getting Panarin either.

The only reason Panarin’s name is floated out there is because he’s refusing to sign a contract extension with the Blue Jackets. Columbus is a fine organization. They didn’t get the leg-up that Vegas got from the NHL, so thay had to build from the ground up. And every painful step of the way Jackets fans have been fiercely loyal and supportive. They’ve made Artemi Panarin into the beloved superstar he supposedly craved being.

And now he wants more — specifically things Columbus can’t offer.

To give credit where it’s due, the inspiration for this post came from the following tweet:

Hopefully, with the above background information, your head is exploding as loudly as mine. Just the Jost-for-Panarin proposition is offensive enough. Add a first-rounder and a high-end prospects!

Now, to be fair, the offer is for a signed Panarin. But if Colmbus is able to sign him, why would they trade him? If he’s unsigned, the Colorado Avalanche could trade for a year to convince him to sign with us.

Here’s the thing — we have nothing Panarin apparently wants. We’re a land-locked state. Our state taxes may not be as bad as in Illinois, but they’re wicked. And Artemi Panarin couldn’t expect to become the number-one star of Nathan MacKinnon’s team.

Next: Evaluating the Qualifying Offers

The best bet is if one of Panarin’s favored teams trades for him — probably Dallas or Tampa, according to the Dispatch — they can make use of his services for a win-now push while negotiating the terms of his contract extension.

Like I said, that’s not the Colorado Avalanche.