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Oilers rival Los Angeles Kings acquire Artemi Panarin from Rangers, sign him to two-year extension
Los Angeles Kings Artemi Panarin New York Rangers
Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Zach Laing
Feb 4, 2026, 15:30 ESTUpdated: Feb 4, 2026, 15:34 EST
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The Artemi Panarin saga has ended in New York with the Russian winger reportedly being traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Emily Kaplan reported.
Former Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland, now with the Kings, swung the deal ahead of the NHL’s trade freeze, set for 1 pm MT Wednesday, giving up 2024 first-round pick Liam Greentree, a conditional third-round pick in 2026 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2028, insider Frank Seravalli reported. The Rangers retained 50 per cent of Panarin’s $11.6 million contract, which is set to expire at the end of the season.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Panarin also signed a two-year, $11 million AAV contract extension.
Panarin, 34, joins a Kings team looking to get out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since they won the cup in 2014. They’ve made six appearances since, including each of the last four years where they were eliminated from postseason play by the Oilers.
The Kings, in desperate need of offence, have struggled to score this season, with their 139 goals the second-fewest in the league. Panarin has appeared in 52 games for the Rangers this season, scoring 19 goals and 57 points, and has been out of their lineup since January 26th, missing three games, as the team worked on trading him.
Panarin had a desire to join the Kings, the New York Post’s Mollie Walker reported, with Los Angeles being “the only team Artemi Panarin wanted to go to, and the only team (the Rangers) had to work with.” A full no-movement clause in Panarin’s contract allowed him to choose his destination.
Now in his 11th year in the league, Panarin has scored 321 goals and 927 points in 804 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Rangers.
The move comes as a surprise to many, as teams like the Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricanes were believed to be the front-runners. The Kings had been linked, but so too had many other teams, like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and even the Oilers themselves, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported.
Panarin was the top trade target available leading up to March 6th’s trade deadline.
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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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