Artemi Panarin's list of teams appears to have narrowed with free agency just days away.
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- There appear to be only a handful of teams left in pursuit of Artemi Panarin. The pending UFA forward has long stated his desire to hit the open market.
- Before he gets there, the Blue Jackets are going to continue looking for a sign-and-trade deal with another team to recoup some assets. Only the Blue Jackets can give Panarin an 8 year extension, which might seal the deal for a team willing to go that long.
- Otherwise, it appears Panarin has his sights mostly set on the Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
- Other teams have tried to get into the mix and will continue to try: the Avalanche, Kings and Blackhawks have all seemingly failed to garner Panarin's attention. A move to the Kings wouldn't make a ton of sense for either side, to be frank.
- The Panthers might get a bit distracted on July 1st, with their sights primarily set on landing Sergei Bobrovsky.
- That means either the Rangers or Islanders could be in the driver's seat here. The Islanders might be closer to contention, but the Rangers might have more to offer salary wise and in terms of perceived organizational stability.
- At least 12 teams are believed to have inquired on Panarin, and many of that group will likely kick tires up until Panarin's decision is finalized next week. Expect things to heat up in the coming days (hours?) ahead.
