The New York Rangers have recently had one of their star players caught in legal trouble throughout this offseason. It has been reported that in July of this year, Artemi Panarin fired a gun in a public setting, endangering the lives of citizens around him.
“Taking into account the circumstances mitigating administrative responsibility (Artemiy Panarin pleaded guilty and committed such an offense for the first time), the Borovichi District Court found him guilty of committing an accident and imposed an administrative penalty on him in the form of a fine of 40 thousand rubles with confiscation of the gun.”
translated from Novgorod Gazette
These charges will likely not affect Panarin’s status for the upcoming 2023-2024 NHL season. Reports indicate that Panarin has paid his fine and should be able to return to the United States before the pre-season begins. It appears that no civilians were injured, and no arrests were made.
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Rangers’ Artemi Panarin has faced allegations in the past:
Just two years ago, Panarin was accused of assaulting an 18-year-old girl. While denying the allegations, Panarin still chose to take a leave of absence from the Rangers. It is mainly believed that this prior allegation arose due to Panarin’s vocal disagreements with Russian politics, and it may be the case with these new charges.
No further action was taken with Panarin’s assault allegation, and it will likely be the same with these new charges faced. The Russian government has continuously tried to destroy Panarin’s image, so it will be hard to decipher the validity of this report until either American or Canadian news outlets give confirmation.