Though Artemi Panarin finished with 92 points with the New York Rangers last season, he struggled in the postseason. He played with many different linemates but could not find any that suited him as well as Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp did in 2021-22. This season, the team needs to get more out of their star winger, and to do so head coach Peter Laviolette must find linemates that bring out the best in him.
Panarin’s Play in 2022-23
Following the 2021-22 season, the Rangers lost Panarin’s long-time linemate Strome in free agency. They also lost Copp, who played very well for them late in the regular season and in the playoffs. Instead, the team signed center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year, $39.375 million contract.
Panarin spent a lot of time playing with Trocheck but the combination did not work as well as the Rangers hoped it would. Early in the season, they had far too many defensive breakdowns without producing enough offensively.
After struggling with Trocheck, Panarin spent some time playing with the Rangers’ top center, Mika Zibanejad. Though it was not ideal to play both stars together, Panarin played better after the switch, and the strong play of the team’s “Kid Line” (Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere) gave the lineup balance. He also spent time playing with wingers Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko after both were acquired with the trade deadline approaching.
Through all the changes in linemates, Panarin continued to pile up points but struggled defensively at even strength. He finished with 29 goals and 63 assists while playing in all 82 games. He was excellent on the power play, finishing with nine goals and 27 assists on the man advantage.
Related: Panarin the Latest Rangers Star to Be a Playoff Disappointment
Despite his impressive numbers in the regular season, Panarin had no goals and just two assists in seven games in the postseason. He looked indecisive when he had the puck and made too many giveaways that turned into scoring opportunities for the New Jersey Devils, who eliminated the Rangers in the first round. Then-head coach Gerard Gallant switched his linemates a few times in the series but his play did not improve.
Panarin’s Importance for the Rangers
During his first few seasons with the Rangers, Panarin showed he was capable of carrying the team offensively, but his postseason struggles were a low point after a somewhat frustrating 2022-23 season. Additionally, he is entering the fifth year of a seven-year, $81.5 million contract and his cap hit of just over $11.6 million is the highest on the team. They need him to produce.
Even though Panarin is 31 years old, he has the talent to dominate offensively. His vision and playmaking ability are fantastic and he has an excellent shot when he decides to use it. His play alongside Adam Fox has dramatically improved the Rangers’ power play since he signed as a free agent ahead of the 2019-20 season.
While Panarin was still productive during the 2022-23 regular season, the Rangers need to get more from him at even strength. He had 56 even strength points in 82 games, which is his lowest total per game in his four seasons in New York.
Now, the Rangers need to find linemates who will help Panarin improve his play at even strength this season. That may mean playing him alongside young forwards Chytil and Kakko and trusting them as top-six forwards, which was something Gallant was reluctant to do. Laviolette could also play Panarin alongside Zibanejad who is an excellent two-way center and should produce around a point per game. Either way, they need to find a combination that will work better than Panarin and Trocheck did last season.
For Panarin and the Rangers Moving Forward
After a very successful season for both Panarin and the Rangers in 2021-22, both took a step in the wrong direction in 2022-23. This will be a pivotal year as the team looks to prove they are legitimate contenders and their star winger tries to bounce back from his rough postseason performance.
The Rangers need Panarin to perform at his best in order to reach their potential, so they must find linemates that will bring out the best in him.
