What a generous offer!
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin, whose contract is expiring with the club at the end of the current season, was made quite an offer.
No, it was not millions of dollars, although it is a given his next contract will be worth millions. Panarin was offered a lifetime supply of vodka by a Columbus distillery.
That’s a start 😉 #AreYouGoldStar pic.twitter.com/VJdjaz53pn
— Dan Milstein-Hockey (@HockeyAgent1) January 8, 2019
The distillery even erected a giant billboard in Columbus to make the offer known. The billboard caught the attention of both Panarin and his agent Dan Milstein.
Panarin posed in front of the billboard for a photo posted on the Blue Jackets' social media pages.
Panarin joined the Blue Jackets in 2017 and has made an immediate impact with the franchise. Last season, he had a team-leading 82 points. This season, he continues to lead the Blue Jackets with 45 points, with the season just past the halfway point.
His presence in Columbus is a definite shot in the arm for the only active NHL franchise that has never won a playoff series. The team is currently fighting among powerhouses Pittsburgh and Washington for the Metropolitan Division title.
But keeping him in Columbus is going to take more than a lifetime supply of vodka. With what he'll make in his next contract, he could own his own distillery. In free agency, Panarin could make more than $10 million per season, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the league.