Blue Jackets: Revisiting the Artemi Panarin Trade – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

Who is the bread? It’s been nine years since Russian superstar and “Bread Man”, Artemi Panarin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a move that sent shock waves through the National Hockey League. One year removed from claiming the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie, Panarin was still on the move.

Panarin was a key member of the Chicago Blackhawks playing on one of the most productive second lines with one-on-one Patrick Kane and fellow Russian, Artem Anisimov. Kane often said that his production was a testament to Panarin’s strong, consistent game. That’s compliments of one of the most talented players the league has ever seen.

Panarin’s speed, skill set, “soft hands”, and scoring prowess made him an immediate threat in the NHL. It is no surprise that he found immediate success with Kane. However, that amazing trio that found great success on the ice was soon separated, and to the surprise of many, Panarin was moved to the Blue Jackets. Let’s take a closer look at how this move happened.

Panarin Trade Breakdown

On June 27, 2017, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen pulled off an unlikely deal and brought Panarin, forward Tyler Motte, and a sixth-round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft to Columbus. The other side of the deal saw forward Brandon Saad and goaltender Anton Forsberg head to the Windy City and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. At first glance, both sides seemed to enjoy their return. Chicago GM Stan Bowman brought back a fan favorite in Saad, a productive winger who played a key role in their 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup victories.

On the other hand, the Blue Jackets got a big (and proven) weapon in Panarin, something they’ve been missing since the departure of longtime captain Rick Nash. Tyler Motte, who has moved on to the Vancouver Canucks, played 31 games in a Blue Jackets uniform, scoring only 3 goals and 2 assists. Anton Forsberg played 35 games for the Blackhawks in 2017-18, before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in the summer of 2019.

Columbus used their sixth-round pick to draft Swedish forward Jonathan Davidsson, 170 overall. Davidsson was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in February 2019, and has played his entire professional career for Djugardens in the Swedish Hockey League. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, traded their pick to the Arizona Coyotes ahead of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Overall, smiles abounded in the Blue Jackets organization, and when the dust settled, it was time to look ahead to the 2017-18 campaign. However, this time, they had added a “pep to their step”. One of the biggest deals in Blue Jackets franchise history gave hockey-mad fans in Columbus a superstar to call their own.

First Year as a Green Jacket

Dressed in a clean new uniform and wearing the silver, blue, and red logo of the Blue Jackets, Panarin made a splash in his first season. On a cold December night in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center, Panarin had 5 assists as the Jackets beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3. Following Espen Knutsen’s tally of 5 assists in 2001, Panarin was the second player in franchise history to record 5 assists in a game. He also became only the fifth player to score 5 points in a game in franchise history.

After the game, Panarin maintained a positive and calm attitude: “I’m very happy. However, I’m trying to control my emotions. Tomorrow is another game and I know that this is just a game and sometimes you do the same thing and it doesn’t result in a goal.”

At the end of the season, the Bread Man finished with 27 goals and 82 points in 81 games, and he and his teammates had the best and most memorable season in 2018-19.

Panarin and Co. Stun the Hockey World

During the 2019 NHL Playoffs, Panarin and the Blue Jackets shocked the hockey world and pulled off one of the most unexpected upsets in North American professional sports history. After posting career-highs in both assists (59) and points (87) so far, Panarin and the Jackets enter the postseason as the Eastern Conference’s second wild card team. Their first round opponent? The mighty Tampa Bay Lightning are coming off one of the most successful regular seasons in NHL history.

The Lightning entered this series as heavy favorites after posting a 62-16-4 regular season record to go along with 128 points and a plus-103 goal differential. After going down 3-0 in the first half, the Jackets roared back, the Bolts stunned, scoring four unanswered goals to take the all-important first game in Tampa by a score of 4-3.

The rest, as they say, is history. Under the leadership of head coach John Tortorella and the big trade deadline acquisitions of Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, the Jackets were “perfect” heading into the playoffs. For all intents and purposes, the gamble paid off, as the Blue Jackets dispatched the Lightning, and swept the series 4-0. The celebrations, however, were short-lived, as the Blue Jackets fell to the big, bad Boston Bruins in the second round.

Regardless of a loss being a loss, and despite an inconvenient end to the season, Blue Jackets fans entered the hot summer months with their heads held high. It’s safe to say that Kekalainen and the Jackets front office are happy with the return they got on their investment in the June 2017 Panarin trade.

Panarin’s Departure in Free Agency

July 1 is an exciting time in the NHL when unrestricted free agents (UFAs) are free to sign with other teams. In Panarin’s case, that team was the New York Rangers. On July 1, 2019, Panarin signed a lucrative 7-year, $81.5 million contract, with an average annual value of $11.642 million, and broke the hearts of Blue Jackets fans everywhere. To add insult to injury, the Jackets also lost Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, and Ryan Dzingel, all of whom decided to take their talents elsewhere in free agency.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Blue Jackets, who essentially “did it all” at the trade deadline in hopes of securing a spot in the postseason. However, they do more than that. Looking back on Panarin’s tenure, Blue Jackets fans must miss the brilliance, electricity, and on-ice production he gave them for two years. That first round upset of the Lightning will be remembered for generations. The “Bread Man” will always be remembered for what he said to the beautiful city of Columbus, Ohio in and out of the snow.