New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is in the final year of a seven-year, $81.5 million contract. The deal expires at the end of the 2025-26 NHL season, after which Panarin will become an unrestricted free agent. He became eligible to sign an extension in July, but no agreement has been finalized.Reports indicate that the Rangers approached Panarin with a “team-friendly” extension proposal,According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers offered Panarin a team-friendly extension, modeled after Anze Kopitar’s contract with the Los Angeles Kings, which the Rangers forward declined. Panarin is likely seeking a higher AAV."They went to him and said, would you be willing to take a Kopitar kind of deal and the answer was no; you know it's gonna be a big number; you just wonder where this is all gonna go." Friedman said on Fan Hokcey Show.NHL Rumour Report @NHLRumourReportLINKElliotte Friedman: Re Artemi Panarin: They went to him and said, would you be willing to take a Kopitar kind of deal and the answer was no; you know it's gonna be a big number; you just wonder where this is all gonna go - FAN Hockey Show (10/15)Meanwhile, Frank Seravalli believes the Rangers are comfortable waiting to assess Artemi Panarin's performance and the team's competitiveness in the season before committing to a new deal. "I think they're comfortable waiting to see how this season goes; if they either fall short of making the playoffs or if they're a team that is not very competitive...I think they're gonna let him walk," he said via Insider Notebook.NHL Rumour Report @NHLRumourReportLINKFrank Seravalli: Re Artemi Panarin extension: I think they're comfortable waiting to see how this season goes; if they either fall short of making the playoffs or if they're a team that is not very competitive...I think they're gonna let him walk - Insider Notebook (10/14)Artemi Panarin has accumulated two points through as many assists in five games this season.Artemi Panarin's Rangers set an unwanted NHL recordFollowing a 2-0 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the New York Rangers set an unwanted NHL record. They became the first team in league history to be shut out in each of their first three home games of a season. The other teams to defeat the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden so far this season are the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. The Blueshirts currently sit fourth in the Metro Division with a 2-3-0 record.The Rangers play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.