The New York Rangers could be in for a major shakeup this offseason, with trade rumors swirling around key players. One proposed trade making waves involves Artemi Panarin heading to the Buffalo Sabres in a blockbuster four-player deal.
Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, a user suggested a trade scenario where the Rangers would receive:
- Jack Quinn
- JJ Peterka
- Buffalo’s 2025 first-round pick
In return, the Sabres would acquire:
- Artemi Panarin ($5 million salary retained by New York)
- Arthur Kaliyev
- Minnesota’s 2025 fifth-round pick
A Massive Deal for Both Teams
If this trade were to happen, it would be a major roster shift for the Rangers. In exchange for Panarin, they would receive two promising young forwards and a potential top-three draft pick.
Jack Quinn (10 goals, 16 assists in 61 games) and JJ Peterka (22 goals, 32 assists in 64 games) are both set to become restricted free agents (RFAs) this summer, meaning the Rangers would need to sign them to new contracts.
On the other side, Panarin—who has put up 31 goals and 44 assists for 75 points in 69 games this season—would join Buffalo with just one year remaining on his $81.5 million contract. The Sabres would also receive Arthur Kaliyev, a depth forward who has tallied 4 points in 14 games this season.
Are the Rangers Looking to Move Stars?
This isn’t the first time Panarin’s name has come up in trade talks. Rangers insider Peter Baugh of The Athletic has suggested that New York could be looking to move either Panarin or Mika Zibanejad in order to create salary cap space.
“Moving on from Mika Zibanejad ($8.5M per year through 2029-30) or Artemi Panarin ($11.642M through 2025-26) would free up significant cap room. However, both players have no-movement clauses, and they remain among the team’s top three point leaders,” Baugh explained.
Additionally, Chris Kreider is expected to be a hot name in trade discussions after GM Chris Drury reportedly entertained offers for him earlier this season.
Rangers Have Already Shown Interest in Peterka
Before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Rangers reportedly expressed interest in JJ Peterka, with NHL insider Frank Seravalli stating that the team had made a “bonafide, legitimate offer” for him, including a first-round pick and a roster player. However, Buffalo ultimately chose to keep Peterka.
As the offseason approaches, it remains to be seen whether the Rangers will pull the trigger on a major trade or stick with their current core in pursuit of playoff success.
