Amidst the news that Artemi Panarin will not negotiate a contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets until season's end, Blue Jackets fans voiced their displeasure with the Russian on Tuesday night when the team hosted the Buffalo Sabres.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, Panarin's agent, Dan Milstein, released a statement on Panarin's future in Columbus, which Blue Jackets fans took as a sign that he's unlikely to stay around once he hits the open market.
In the final year of his two-year, $12,000,000 he signed with the Blackhawks back in 2016, Panarin leads the team in points this season with 19 goals, 36 assists for 55 points in 47 games.
The Jackets are in a tough predicament: do they go for a playoff run in a Metropolitan that is open for the taking, or do they try to trade Panarin for a player of similar value, or reload with young assets with the future in mind?
With Panarin and fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky both slated to hit the open market, it's going to make for great theatre heading as the deadline approaches, through the playoffs and into the offseason.
(h/t Aaron Portzline)
