It seems that the New York Ranger‘s forward Artemi Panarin had held on to this for about ten years. Panarin put up eight points in 20 games while playing in the KHL during his draft year (2010). The dynamic forward was then passed over by every team, perhaps due to a fear that he would remain in the KHL.
“I would like to thank all the (general managers) for not choosing me in the draft,” the Rangers star said Tuesday, according to Lohud’s Vincent Z. Mercogliano. “It allowed me to choose the team where I wanted to play, that played my style of hockey, and allowed me to be successful, to begin with.”
It was an ? comment, but there was also truth to it.
Artemi Panarin has handpicked his own path – 1st in Chicago, now in NY – and crafted himself into one of the best players in the #NHL.
More on the #NYR star & Ted Lindsay finalist ?? https://t.co/QEXMIui4Ck@NYRangerFanclub
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) July 14, 2020
Apparently the motivation started right away as Panarin became a star in Russia. Panarin totaled 26 goals and 62 points in 56 games and added 20 points in 20 playoff games in 2014-15, the season before he joined the Chicago Blackhawks.
After joining the Blackhawks, Panarin notched 30 goals and 47 assists while playing alongside Patrick Kane in Chicago in the 2015-16 season. This obviously became a stepping stone in playing with such outstanding forwards as Kane and Patrick Toews, and he is not looked back since.
After the Blackhawks had to deal him in order to save cap space, Panarin spent a couple of years in Columbus before his success gave him another chance to make a decision, this time where to go in free agency. After rejecting such teams as the Islanders, he signed a massive $81.5-million deal with the Rangers.
He did not disappoint his teammates, the fans, or himself.
The 28-year-old turned in an MVP-caliber performance during his first season with the Blueshirts. He tallied 32 goals and 95 points in 69 games and was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award on Tuesday.
Recently, teammate Chris Kreider said of Panarin: “He competes like a dog on the puck in games. He wants to win. He’s highly, highly competitive.”
Here are your finalists for the 2020 Ted Lindsay Award for the leagues most outstanding player as voted on by the NHLPA.
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Artemi Panarin, New York RangersCHN Pick: Leon Draisaitl pic.twitter.com/vzTF8UAOXl
— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) July 14, 2020
When he started in New York, Panarin had some goals. “Obviously, when I came, I felt a little bit of pressure,” Panarin said. “That’s normal. But with both the surrounding people that I met in New York and also the decision to read less press and look at less social media, allowed me to focus on my craft and drop that level of pressure and stress I might have felt.”
Now his next goal is to help the Rangers advance as far as possible in the resumed Stanley Cup Playoffs.