Media Bytes: Panarin, Secondary Scoring, Othmann, Larry Brooks

Welcome to Media Bytes, a new weekly column from Blueshirt Banter. Every Sunday, we’ll help you start the week right with a quick catch-up on the latest stories and developments around the New York Rangers and the broader NHL media landscape.

1. October is an absurdly early time to be discussing Artemi Panarin's future as a New York Ranger, but that's not going to stop talking heads from talking. Enter NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who earlier this past week said he didn't think Chris Drury would be afraid to trade the Russian superstar at the trade deadline "if [the Rangers are] going nowhere."

Seravalli proceeded to couch the statement by noting that the Rangers are "[nowhere] near making that decision yet," and that he remains bullish on both the Rangers and Panarin this season even though he admits that this "is going to be a story line to watch no matter what as the season goes on."

2. Elliotte Friedman also poured gasoline on the Panarin fire, "wondering" out loud to Morning Cuppa Hockey "if Minnesota could be a team" for Panarin given promises they've made to Kirill Kaprizov—who shares the same agent as Panarin, mind you—about "going out to get better." Friedman also said that "If [Panarin's] gonna stay in New York, at what he wants, he’s gonna have to have the kind of year that makes [the Rangers] say we got to do this."

3. Last note on Panarin (for now): resident non-beat-writer-but-totally-a-beat-writer Jonny Lazarus made his rounds this week on seemingly every hockey podcast, including our very own Blueshirt Bandwidth. In the episode, appropriately sub-titled "The Panarin Question That Could Define the Rangers Season," Jonny spoke with Joe Fortunato about the pending UFA, taking his own approach to what New York should do with him:

"I have nothing against [Panarin] I just think for the direction of the Rangers, do you really want to pay this guy for four more years when you do have Gabe Perreault waiting in the AHL? This is the problem the Rangers have had — older guys blocking out younger guys from positions that the younger guys need to develop and grow," said Lazarus.

Lazarus also rebuffed his podcast co-host Avery Zaretsky, who this past week tweeted that it would be "absolute lunacy" for New York to not re-sign Panarin. "I just don't see losing Panarin as the [Rangers'] window being officially shut," Lazarus said. "I think it gives them a little more money to try a build out a more complete roster."

4. Elsewhere in the Rangers' podcast universe, on the latest episode of his freshly rebranded 'Flying V' podcast, Vince Mercogliano did a terrific job of saying out loud what all of our eyes have been telling us about this season: that this Rangers' team has been "gutted of its secondary scoring," and that the "domino effect" of trading away players like Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko is happening in real-time for all of us to wallow in.

But wait, it gets worse! According to Mercogliano, not only does the Rangers' bottom-six "look like it is not gonna be putting up a lot of points," but the team's top-six is "relying heavily on basically three guys" while the three other players in it "aren't pulling their weight."

A hat trick from Taylor Raddysh—seriously, Taylor Raddysh!—against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night thumbed this theory in the eye for a fleeting moment, but the larger nine-game picture reinforces it. Heading into Calgary tonight, the Rangers have the 31st ranked offense.

5. On a more somber note, Vancouver's Rick Dhaliwal said of Filip Chytil what a lot of us are thinking regarding the 26-year-olds health. "I think [Chytil's] gotta sit down and think about his future just like [Micheal] Ferland did ... he has had six [or] seven concussions and this is another one," he said on Donnie and Dhali.

I'm a stalwart believer that NHL players should hold on as long as they reasonably can. Making this league (not to mention sticking in it) is a lifelong effort that shouldn't be minimized or wished away from anyone. But for Chytil, this many concussions in such a short amount of a time has got to be weighing on his future as an active player.

6. There's a potential duality to the Rangers re-calling Brennan Othmann from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Frank Seravalli seemed to pour cold water on trade rumors last Tuesday, noting that while the Blueshirts have received some calls on him, he's "not someone they are really considering or trying to move." But Elliotte Friedman followed up on this story on Wednesday in 32 Thoughts, reporting that "when asked, the Rangers have requested good AHL prospects" in exchange for the 22-year-old winger.

Are the Rangers considering moving him, or are they gauging interest? Is this call-up a genuine opportunity or a showcase? They can't both be right. Pick your poison.

7. Lastly, I think I speak for everyone when I say we all wish nothing but the best to the Click King himself, Larry Brooks, who it was announced earlier this week is taking time away from the New York Post (and the Up in the Blueseats podcast, of which he was a staple) while he deals with a medical issue.