The New York Rangers signed Artemi Panarin last summer for his scoring skill and playmaking ability. When the NHL resumes games sometime in July, the organization is hoping he can do one more thing, carry the Blueshirts deep into the playoffs.
Panarin had an incredible first seaosn in New York. He led the team with 95 points finding the back of the net 32 times in 69 games. The 28-year-old has done everything the organization has asked as he had the best season in his five years in the NHL recording career-high in both goals and points.
This will be Panarin’s fifth trip to the postseason. Â The high-scoring Russian scorer has struggled with putting the puck in the net in postseason games as he has played in 27 Stanley Cup Playoff games managing only nine goals.
What is more surprising, Panarin has only seen the second round once in his four previous playoff trips. In his final season with Columbus last season, the Blue Jackets upset the Tampa Bay Lightning in a four-game sweep before being eliminated by the Boston Bruins in six games.
This season the Rangers will be playing in their first postseason since 2017 with a team that had little aspirations of even talking about the postseason in October never mind getting their first opportunity to play in these important games now.
Defense
What so many fans fail to see is just how good Panarin is on defense. Head coach David Quinn broke down his game on the “Film Room” youtube video.
Panarin is a smart player on defense. Â He is great at backchecking, putting pressure on the opposition as they enter the Ranger’s defensive zone. Â “What makes him so good offensively is his commitment to defense”, said Quinn in the video. The coach appreciated his poise with the puck in his own end which more time than not turns into an offensive scoring chance. He dominates the “50/50 puck battles” which the head coach feels is crucial in puck possession.
Defense coverage is crucial in coach Quinns system, he has set plays in each of the zones on the ice, but he admits to giving Panarin a little more leeway because of his skillset and great on ice knowledge with what is going on around him.
Hard Part Is Yet To Come
Now is the time where Panarin will feel the most pressure. He was a rookie the first time he made the playoffs with Chicago and last season he knew would be his last with Columbus. This is New York, one of the biggest markets in the country, one where Panarin has never had to handle the media like he will when the game resumes.
Panarin is going to be expected to be better than he was in the regular season. That’s a tough thing to ask considering he, along with the entire NHL, will be starting over due to the prolonged break that was a result of the pause in the regular season.
The team leader on the ice is going to have to put his foot now quickly and find his scoring touch. The qualifying rounds are the best- of -five so there will not be a “feeling out” period.
The native of Korkino, USSR is a pure goal scorer and incredible skater who can handle the full load of the team on his shoulder and find ways to win hockey games. He will have to because, at the end of the day, this is why he is getting paid all of that money.
Team Leader
Panarin is no longer the new kid on the block. He is the guy the kids all look up to and respect. His contagious smile, no-quit attitude has been passed on to everyone in the locker room and on the bench. The Breadman will lead the club, along with Mika Zibanejad, to give the Rangers a scary one-two pinch against any team that comes there way.
Ryan Strome has been a benefactor of playing alongside Panarin. Strome scored 18 goals this season ( one shy of his career-high) along with a career-high in points (59) with him appearing on all 70 regular-season games this year.
The Carolina Hurricanes will be the next team Panarin and the Rangers face whenever the NHL gets back to games. That is something that will not change no matter how much the ‘Canes complain about the 24-team format.
Panarin needs to find his scoring touch the moment the puck is dropped. The moment he steps back on to the ice in whatever city that may be. Whenever that time comes, Rangerstown will be living every faceoff, every period and every game played through the eyes of Panarin.
There is something magical whenever fans talk about Rangers playoff hockey. Panarin is going to get to feel that energy soon, and knowing how committed he is to win, the Blueshirts will get to experience the end of a different but quite special season.