Dallas eyes a superstar to break through playoff woes. Could Artemi Panarin be the missing piece, but is he worth the risk?
The Dallas Stars are slowly starting the climb their way out their recent hole where they lost ten of a 12-game stretch but have picked things up with wins in two of their last three games and are back in the race for a top divisional spot.
The Colorado Avalanche appears to be close to running away with the divisional title and possibly the President's trophy, which means second-place in the Central means playing for what will be home-ice in the first round. The Stars recent skid has pulled them just one point behind the Minnesota Wild, who they appear destined to meet with in the first round of the playoffs.
To get over the hump and finally breakthrough after three straight conference finals losses, Dallas may look to make a big move and that could come with a big time trade.
It was recently reported by the Fourth Period's David Pagnotta that the current frontrunners to land New York Rangers superstar Artemi Panarin is the LA Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Washington Capitals and the Dallas Stars. Pagnotta also mentioned other teams that could be in the running as well like the Detroit Red Wings and Anahiem Ducks.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added onto these reports during Monday's episode of his podcast 32 Thoughts saying that he believes Panarin's preference is to move to a new team with an extension in place. Friedman also went on to say that if Panarin was to leave and join a team as a rental that one specific team he would be interested in joining is the Stars.
Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More.
As for what the Rangers would be looking for in return, Friedman suggested that New York would be asking for a similar package deal as the one the Colorado Avalanche sent to the New York Islanders for center Brock Nelson. This would be a blue-chip prospect (Calum Ritchie), a depth piece that can start in the lineup if needed (Oliver Kylington) as well as a first- and a third-round pick.
So far this season, Panarin is looking like his normal self despite the lackluster season for New York as they currently sit with the worst record in the East yet the Russian superstar has 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points in 51 games. He's on pace to finish with 89 points, which would be the fifth straight season he was able to reach that mark.
Panarin is a bonifed superstar that can make a significant difference on a winning team and if the Stars feel like he could be the last piece in their puzzle of building a championship roster, Nill could take a risky shot and pull the trigger on the deal.
It would be a blockbuster deal for the Stars and the league as where the 34-year-old lands, could cause a major shift in the league's dynamic going into the backhalf of the season.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.