Podcast Summary

Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Episode: Hour 1: Panarin Traded & NBA Moves
Date: February 4, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

Overview

This episode dives into a seismic day in New York sports, led by breaking NHL news about Artemi Panarin’s trade from the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings. The trio analyzes the trade, its context, and fan reaction, while also covering major NBA moves approaching the trade deadline, including the Wizards’ declining fortunes, and offering sharp perspectives on the deteriorating landscape of sports journalism. The conversation, true to the show’s trademark, is witty, impassioned, and steeped in New York sports perspective.

Major Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Breaking News: Artemi Panarin Traded to the LA Kings

[03:00 – 04:59]

• Adam Schefter Breaks NHL News:
  Hosts are stunned that NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the Panarin trade news, highlighting ESPN and the NHL’s growing partnership.
  • Don Hahn: “Forget about the stadium series... This is the day [NHL and ESPN are] officially now together.” [03:31]
• Trade Details:
  The Rangers send Panarin to the Kings for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree, with the Rangers retaining 50% of Panarin’s salary.
• Fan and Host Reaction:
  The hosts note the lack of excitement for the return, given Panarin’s no-move clause and his restricted list of destinations.
  • Don Hahn: “A conditional third-round pick and Liam Greentree is not exactly something to get you overly excited.” [03:57]
  • Alan: “It’s them continuing to move on, Don. ...They weren’t going to have it sit for three weeks.” [04:26]
• NHL Roster Freeze & Olympic Context:
  The trade happened just before the Olympic roster freeze at 3:00pm, locking NHL transactions until the Olympics end.

2. Why Did Schefter Break the News?

[05:12 – 06:26]

• Discussion around Adam Schefter’s surprising role as the news-breaker, with speculation on his sources and the overlap between NFL and NHL ownership/representation.
• Don Hahn: “He probably picked up on something while chasing something down at the Super Bowl.” [05:47]

3. NBA Trade Deadline Moves & The Wizards’ Decline

[06:06 – 13:07]

• Mild NBA Trade Activity:
  Hosts echo the underwhelming moves: “It’s just mild but interesting moves.” [02:17]
• Anthony Davis to the Wizards:
  The hosts discuss the implication for Davis’ career, seeing Washington as an NBA “Siberia.”
  • Richard: “And just like that, a Hall of Fame career dies.” [07:13]
  • Alan: “[Washington] has become the place that you send players that teams just don’t really want.” [09:10]
• Trey Young & Kuzma:
  Ushered in as symbols of a wayward franchise that no longer inspires fan attendance or hope.
• Franchise Dysfunction:
  Stinging comparison between the Jets and Wizards in terms of organizational irrelevance and historic futility.
  • Alan: “The Wizards are the combination of bad and irrelevant.” [15:20]
  • Don Hahn: “The Jets, the one thing they have accomplished is being the worst franchise of the four major sports.” [12:01]

4. Sports Journalism’s Collapse: The Washington Post Cuts

[22:11 – 26:16]

• Washington Post Guts Sports Desk:
  Jeff Bezos shutters the iconic Washington Post sports section, leading to a shared eulogy for the lost era of local papers.
  • Richard: “Why do people as rich as Jeff Bezos buy these things and their only way of being able to do business is to cut it down?” [22:36]
  • Alan: “No one consumes anything that’s 500 words, let alone...” [24:58]
• Changing Landscape:
  Discussion of paywalls, loss of classified revenue, and changing consumption habits.

5. Panarin Trade Fallout: Fan & Host Reaction

[28:33 – 39:05]

• Caller Sam (Cleveland):
  Expresses rage and disappointment at the return for Panarin; hosts explain constraints of no-move clauses.
  • Don Hahn: “You’re going to lose him at the end of the season. What else was he supposed to do?” [29:25]
  • Alan: “You want to rant and scream...that’s fine…But you don’t know all the detail.” [31:06]
• Caller Robbie:
  Laments mismanagement post-Jeff Gorton era; hosts acknowledge emotional difficulty of the moment but stress long-term perspective.
  • Don Hahn: “Now you got to clean up all the broken bottles and vomit, and it’s hard to do.” [38:15]
• Host Analysis:
  Explain the lack of leverage due to Panarin’s chosen destination, the importance of draft capital, and challenge of a tear-down.

6. NBA Trade Deadline Watch

[42:02 – 44:47]

• Brooklyn Nets-Raptors-Clippers Deal:
  The Nets acquire Ochai Agbaji in a three-team deal, continuing the trend of NBA cap-clearing and asset reallocation.
  • Alan: “All these moves we’re seeing are not about making us better…It always seems to be getting rid of people.” [42:02]
• Knicks’ Win Streak & Trade Deadline Hopes:
  Assessment of Knicks’ playoff standing and hopes Giannis doesn’t get dealt before Friday’s deadline.

7. Revisiting the Panarin Trade, Prospect Details, and More Calls

[47:00 – 48:17]

• Breakdown of Return:
  More fan frustration over the perceived lackluster return; hosts clarify why a better haul was impossible.
  • Alan: “You’re not going to hit a jackpot...What you’re doing is moving on from some money. You’re in reset mode.” [47:03]
• Reason vs. Emotion:
  Hosts recognize the validity of fans’ anger but urge logic and patience.

Notable Quotes

• “Forget about the stadium series... This is the day [NHL and ESPN are] officially now together.” — Don Hahn, [03:31]
• “A conditional third-round pick and Liam Greentree is not exactly something to get you overly excited.” — Don Hahn, [03:57]
• “And just like that, a Hall of Fame career dies.” — Richard (re: Anthony Davis to Washington), [07:13]
• “The Wizards are the combination of bad and irrelevant.” — Alan Hahn, [15:20]
• “No one consumes anything that’s 500 words, let alone...” — Alan Hahn, [24:58]
• “Now you gotta clean up all the broken bottles and vomit, and it’s hard to do.” — Don Hahn, [38:15]
• “You’re not going to hit a jackpot...What you’re doing is moving on from some money. You’re in reset mode.” — Alan Hahn, [47:03]

Tone & Style

• The interplay is fast, sharp, and sarcastically affectionate—a blend of sports knowledge and fan therapy.
• Hosts balance humor with commiseration for frustrated New York fans, often using metaphors (“broken bottles and vomit”) to describe team dysfunction.
• Language is colloquial, direct, and at times self-deprecating, capturing the emotional swing unique to New York sports radio.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |----------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Opening Banter & Weather | 00:00 – 01:27 | | Breaking: Panarin Trade | 03:00 – 04:59 | | Schefter’s Role & Media Crossovers | 05:12 – 06:26 | | NBA Trade Moves/Anthony Davis | 06:06 – 13:07 | | Jets vs. Wizards: Worst Franchise? | 12:01 – 17:07 | | Washington Post Slashes Sports Desk | 22:11 – 26:16 | | Calls: Panarin Trade Reactions | 28:33 – 39:05 | | NBA Trade Deadline Watch | 42:02 – 44:47 | | Return to Panarin (Prospect/Logic vs Emotion)| 47:00 – 48:17 |

Conclusion

This episode is a microcosm of New York’s high-stakes, high-emotion sports scene. The Panarin trade sparks a heated autopsy of Rangers management, while broader frustrations spill over into debates about franchise dysfunction (Jets vs. Wizards) and the collapse of sports journalism. The NBA’s trade flurry and looming deadline add a sense of movement and anticipation—a moment-in-time check-in with New York sports fandom at its rawest and realest.