Artemi Panarin is going to be a major focus of many fans going into the 2023-24 season. After having another great regular season with the team, he once again failed to show up during the biggest games of the year. He scored one point in the seven-game series against the New Jersey Devils, and a huge portion of the fanbase wanted him gone after that performance. Panarin is still here and he is once again going to have to be a key player for the Rangers as they try to make the playoffs for a third straight season.
No Major Changes This Summer
Due to the lack of salary cap space, the Rangers were forced to sign players on cheap deals, and that meant no major additions were made this summer. They also lost two key offensive pieces in Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. This means they will have to rely on their core offensive players to get the job done again, and Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Panarin are all going to have to keep playing at a high level because the Rangers’ offense runs through them.
Regular season success should not be a problem for the Rangers. Panarin has been their best offensive player since he signed with the team in 2019. He has had three 90-plus point seasons and was even over a point per game during the shortened 2020-21 season. He was a Hart Trophy finalist during his first season with the Rangers and ever since then, he has played great during the regular season. The playoffs have been a completely different story.
Panarin Must Find Playoff Success
The Rangers have made the playoffs three times with Panarin. Their first time was completely forgettable as they were dominated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the return to play. However, they made it to the Eastern Conference Final during the 2021-22 season and while that was a great run, he was rarely a factor. While he did have 16 points in 20 games and scored the Game 7 winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was never truly a superstar during the team’s run to the final four. While he might have been injured, it was never confirmed and it just left fans wanting more from their superstar player.
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The 2023 Playoffs were even worse. After getting an assist in Game 1, Panarin went pointless for the rest of the series and was nowhere near the caliber of player fans know he can be. His lack of playoff success with the Rangers has gotten fans to turn against him even though he is considered their best player. If they do make the playoffs this season, they are going to need to see a whole new Panarin. They need to see the player who is one of the most dynamic in the league and if they want to make it far, they need him to produce.
Play Up To His Contract
The big reason why fans wanted Panarin gone after his playoff performance was the fact that his contract is massive. He is currently the highest-paid winger in the NHL making $11,642,857 per season for the next three seasons. While it would have been difficult, if not impossible to move his contract, fans wanted him gone because then the Rangers could use that money to make other moves to help the team this season and beyond and not have it all tied up in one player who can’t produce in the playoffs.
Panarin is back for the 2023-24 season and he’s going to need to prove to his doubters that he is still worth all that money the Rangers have paid him. Everyone has seen the kind of special player that he is. He has all the skills in the world to be one of the best players in the NHL. He just has to keep it up going into the biggest games of the year. That will be the biggest question surrounding him going into this season.
