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Artemi Panarin trade expected today with four teams involved and the Penguins watching nervously
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Artemi Panarin trade rumors are back, and a move to the Capitals or Hurricanes could squeeze the Penguins fast.
Wednesday matters, because the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze kicks in at 3 p.m. and slams the door until February 22.
Right now, Pittsburgh is sitting 28-15-12, and the margin in the Metro is thin enough to feel every big swing.
Carolina is already rolling at 35-15-6, so "adding Panarin" is the kind of move that changes the math for everyone chasing.
Washington is hanging around too, and the Caps at 28-23-7 are exactly the type of team that can spike late with one elite winger.
The two posts making the rounds are here, and they’re framed as "before the trade freeze" urgency.
If Panarin lands in D.C., it’s a direct Metro problem, because it juices their top-six and supercharges the man advantage in head-to-head games.
If he lands in Raleigh, it’s almost worse, because the Hurricanes already tilt the ice and Panarin is the kind of finisher they don’t always have.
Artemi Panarin and Pittsburgh Penguins playoff stress
Penguins fans are exhausted by the idea of rivals shopping while Dubas has to watch the clock hit the freeze.
Panarin also isn’t a cheap add, with an $11.64M cap hit this season and UFA status coming after 2025-26.
On the ice, he’s still producing, sitting at 57 points in 52 games, so this is not a "name only" rumor.
The matchup nightmare is simple: you don’t want to spend March trying to outscore Panarin four times in a division race.
If anything actually happens Wednesday afternoon, the Penguins’ next milestone is clear, survive the freeze, then hit March with answers, not regrets.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
This forward's AHL assignment hints at a longer-term Penguins plan
This forward's AHL assignment hints at a longer-term Penguins plan
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 4|97 ANSWERS Artemi Panarin trade expected today with four teams involved and the Penguins watching nervously Should the Pittsburgh Penguins be worried if Artemi Panarin goes to the Washington Capitals or Carolina Hurricanes? | ||
| Yes | 36 | 37.1 % |
| No | 61 | 62.9 % |
| List of polls | ||