Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is attempting to work some magic on the NHL trade market and he may find a willing partner in New York Rangers counterpart Chris Drury.
Jeremy White of WGR 550 Radio, whose "super secret Sabres source" has broken several stories in the past, reported he's heard Buffalo is showing interest in Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, a two-time All-Star who's scored 916 points in 795 career NHL games.
"The super secret Sabres source is back," White said on Thursday morning's show. "And that's where Panarin came from."
The information comes after a source recently told RG's James Murphy that Drury "won't wait much longer" to shake up the Rangers' roster as New York has slid to 14th place in the highly competitive Eastern Conference standings. Buffalo is ninth.
Panarin, 34, has recorded 46 points (16 goals and 30 assists) across 43 appearances this season. He's slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the current campaign.
Artemi Panarin represents a perfect fit to boost the Buffalo Sabres' offense and power play
The Sabres feature their most complete lineup in years, and they've managed to fight their way back into the East's playoff race despite an endless stream of key injuries dating back to training camp.
Yet, there's still clear room for improvement, and one area Buffalo must upgrade if it wants to make some serious noise this season is top-six scoring. Tage Thompson has 21 goals, while Alex Tuch and Josh Doan (13 each) are the only other players with at least 10.
The Sabres are 15th in the NHL in goals per game (3.10) and their power play has dropped to 21st (17.9%) amid a recent cold spell with the man advantage.
Panarin, along with scoring more than a point per game this season, has dished out 13 power-play assists for the Rangers' 12th-ranked PP (22.2%).
Buffalo's top PP unit has an elite shooting option in Thompson and a terrific quarterback in superstar defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, but it lacks somebody who can create below the circles. The Russian winger would instantly fill that massive void.
Panarin also has a direct connection to Jarmo Kekalainen, who was GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets when the team acquired Breadman in June 2017.
Kekalainen, who replaced Kevyn Adams atop the Sabres' front office on Dec. 15, has moved cautiously since being promoted because the Blue and Gold are one of hockey's hottest teams. They recently put together a 10-game winning streak and have now won 11 of their past 12 games.
He gained a reputation of making bold moves during his time in Columbus, however, and it's probably only a matter of time before he tries to put his stamp on the Buffalo roster.
Panarin likely won't come cheap despite his status as a potential rental, and he possesses a no-movement clause in his contract, so there are a few potential hurdles to any trade.
In addition, it's unclear whether the 2016 Calder Trophy winner would have any interest in signing a long-term extension in Buffalo.
Even when taking all of those variables into account, Panarin is still a target Kekalainen and Co. should aggressively pursue between now and the 2026 NHL trade deadline on March 6.
He'd be a legitimate game-changing player for a team that could use one or two more of those.