Panarin, agent to talk ‘business’ in January
DETROIT — Artemi Panarin hasn’t changed his mind about negotiating a contract extension with the Blue Jackets, but the Russian star is going to discuss business with his agent in late January.
Columbus has its annual “bye” week Jan. 20-24, followed by the NHL’s All-Star break Jan. 25-26. The Jackets will also have two more days before their next game, Jan. 29 against Buffalo.
“Artemi and I are going to sit down to discuss business when he is ready,” Dan Milstein, Panarin’s agent and chief executive officer of the Gold Star Hockey agency, said Monday when contacted by The Dispatch. “He is genuinely happy with the way things are going this season. We will talk business during his break (in January).”
Milstein and Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen confirmed they met Sunday in Detroit, along with Columbus assistant GM Bill Zito.
Milstein said it wasn’t to negotiate a contract for Panarin but instead to discuss Blue Jackets prospects Vladislav Gavrikov, Nikita Korostelev and Milstein’s pending European free agents.
Kekalainen declined to comment and said there is nothing new to report about the Panarin situation. Milstein said he initiated the meeting and even picked up Zito, a friend, from the airport.
“I always try to meet with team managers when I or they are in Detroit,” said Milstein, who is based in suburban Detroit and also represents former Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk. “We had a nice visit.”
Panarin, the Jackets’ second-leading scorer with 23 points before a game Monday in Detroit, has declined to negotiate a contract extension with Columbus, which acquired him June 23, 2017, in a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
He didn’t disappoint in his first year with Columbus, setting single-season franchise records last year in points (82) and assists (55) that doubled as career highs. He finished 20th in the NHL in scoring in his first season playing without Blackhawks star Patrick Kane on the opposite side of the ice.
Panarin carried a 12-game goal drought into a game Monday against the Red Wings, the longest of his NHL career, but he doesn’t seem rattled by that or his contract situation.
“He’s a really good pro,” coach John Tortorella said after the morning skate at Little Caesars Arena. “Not a lot bothers him. He enjoys coming to the rink and plays the game with that type of enthusiasm. Everybody likes scoring goals if you’re an offensive guy, but he doesn’t put himself in a bind because he isn’t. He just wants to help the team by creating offense.”
The Blue Jackets would like to help him make his mind up about signing an extension, but Milstein said Columbus management is taking a hands-off approach. Milstein and Kekalainen might meet up again in December, in Russia, but only to scout and meet his European free-agent clients.
Panarin, Milstein and Kekalainen also met this summer in France, but haven’t discussed the contract situation since.
“For now, there is no pressure from the club,” Milstein said. “It’s all about the team winning.”