Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin is one of the more talented forwards in the NHL and every other team in the league would like to own his services. For a while this off-season, it seemed highly likely that he would indeed move to another club, after rejecting an initial extension offer from the Blue Jackets. Panarin also set an ultimatum for further contract negotiations – a date that passed last week – before which many expected either a new deal or a trade. Yet, neither has come and GM Jarmo Kekalainen has expressed that he never took Panarin’s deadline into account and planned on working through negotiations all the way until July 1st, when the scoring winger will become an unrestricted free agent. That sentiment would seem to indicate that Kekalainen has no plans to trade Panarin this season.

Not so fast. On TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Darren Dreger reported that Kekalainen continues to field many trade calls for the talented forward. Despite teams currently focused on training camp and getting their opening night rosters set and ready to go, interest has not dropped off in acquiring Panarin. The Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and more have been linked to Panarin this summer and it is easy to imagine that all of those teams and other dark horse candidates continue to keep an eye on his status. Landing a player of Panarin’s caliber, especially with an extension attached, could be a franchise-altering move.

Nevertheless, Dreger adds that Kekalainen is not interested in trading Panarin – though time may eventually force his hand – and right now says “his principle point of interest is trying to convince him to re-sign.” It doesn’t sound as though Panarin’s mind has changed at all and it has been all quiet from his camp for some time. Perhaps he will be convinced to stay in Columbus over another successful campaign or perhaps Kekalainen will get a godfather offer too good to refuse. One way or another, the continued trade interest and extension determination from Columbus make it overwhelmingly likely that one of these two outcomes will occur, rather than Panarin walking away at the end of the year.