Panarin looking for $12+ million?
@Prospects_Watch: Darren Dreger on Artemi Panarin: “There’s some that believe he’s with the New Jersey Devils or Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders …There’s some speculation Panarin wants a bit more than $12M annually, that might push the New York Rangers out of the game.”
Rangers won’t get in a bidding war
Larry Brooks of the NY Post: Sources are saying that the New York Rangers won’t get into a bidding war for free agent forward Artemi Panarin.
Have been told that Rangers won’t go higher than seven years in the $11 to $11.25 million range per season. They wouldn’t match or do anything higher than that.
The New York Islanders and Florida Panthers are also in the running and both those teams would be able to sign Sergei Bobrovsky, the Rangers obviously can’t.
Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post: The New York Rangers are in the hunt for Artemi Panarin, but a seven-year deal between $11 and $12 million could be too much for them.
The Florida Panthers are also in on Sergei Bobrovsky and are in a State with no income tax.
Panarin and Bobrovsky both met with Tallon and Quenneville
George Richards of The Athletic: The Florida Panthers have already met with both Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky earlier this week. They’ve met with both the Islanders and Rangers and have turned down other requests.
The Panthers have the best odds to sign both.
Both GM Dale Tallon and coach Joel Quenneville met with both players at a Fort Lauderdale Beach hotel.
“They have every right to do it. They have 31 options. If I was a free agent, I would utilize everything and you only get that opportunity once in your life,” Tallon said Thursday. “And I can’t blame them. I mean, the fact they gave us the opportunity to speak with them speaks volumes as well. There are a lot of teams not being spoken with.”
Bobrovsky could cost $10 million a season, Panarin possibly up to $12 million per.