Artemi Panarin admits he had his sights set on Hollywood, insisting Thursday that he “didn’t want to go anywhere else” after it was clear he would not be re-signed by the Rangers.
One day after agreeing to waive his no-movement clause with the Blueshirts to facilitate a trade to Los Angeles, Panarin said he “tried to find a team for myself that was where I wanted to be.”
That new team is the Kings, who signed the potential free agent to a two-year contract extension after sending forward prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional draft pick to the Rangers.
“The process was pretty easy. … Obviously, I was a little nervous,” Panarin said Thursday on a Zoom call. “Six-and-a-half seasons is a pretty long time [to be in New York]. … A lot of good memories, a couple [Eastern] Conference finals. It was a great group of guys.
“Obviously, when you’re winning, it puts you in a great mood every day. … It’s a great organization, too. I was pretty proud to wear this jersey. And thank you to the fans. I have to make a video, actually.”
The 34-year-old Panarin added that due to his wife and children, he “didn’t want to be rented for a couple months, then go somewhere else” in free agency.
Panarin, the Rangers’ leading scorer in each of his seven seasons with the team, added he sought and received an endorsement of the Kings from Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who played in Los Angeles for parts of the previous three seasons.
