NHL
The Leafs and the Sharks are looking to land the Russian superstar.
Artemi Panarin’s contract negotiations with the Columbus Blue Jackets have gone completely south. Panarin has already shown interest in the Panthers, the Rangers, and the Kings. In addition, his agent claims he does not want to be in Ohio anymore. As a result, more teams are coming out in an attempt to land Panarin. To be specific, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the San Jose Sharks are expressing interest in landing the “Breadman.” However, the question that arises for both teams is: how will this work?
Why it would work for Toronto
As if they weren’t already a cup favorite by landing John Tavares. Landing Panarin could nearly guarantee at least a shot at the big dance. Panarin would immediately compliment their young guns like Auston Matthews and William Nylander. In addition, players like Patrick Marleau and Tavares could help Panarin reach his full potential, assuming he hasn’t hit it already. According to CapFriendly.com, Toronto has $14.7 million in spending money. Toronto could easily carry Panarin’s $6 million cap hit and then some.
Why it would work for San Jose
San Jose has built a winning culture over the last few years. Multiple playoff appearances and a Stanley Cup Final appearance recently could easily woo a player to join. Panarin wants to go to a winning hockey team, and he would fit right in with their talented forwards like Joe Pavelski and Evander Kane. In addition, Joe Thornton could also teach him a few tricks. Just like Toronto, San Jose landing Artemi Panarin would immediately put them in talks for the Stanley Cup. However, according to CapFriendly.com, San Jose only has $4.38 million in cap space. If the Sharks want to make this dream a reality, they need to shed a contract or two.
Conclusion
With the team being built in Toronto and the cap space they have, it seems that Panarin would be likely to go up north. However, Panarin currently has a summer home in Miami, Florida which could potentially mean he’s going to the Panthers. It all depends on which team is willing to sacrifice more to land the “Breadman”. However, Artemi Panarin’s contract negotiations with Columbus can change.
