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The Artemi Panarin high kick and other cellys

By Steve Paulus

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 12: New York Rangers Left Wing Artemi Panarin (10) celebrates his goal during the NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks on December, 12, 2019 at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 12: New York Rangers Left Wing Artemi Panarin (10) celebrates his goal during the NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks on December, 12, 2019 at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 16: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal at 17:18 of the third period against the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2019 in New York City. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 16: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal at 17:18 of the third period against the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2019 in New York City. The Predators defeated the Rangers 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The NHL has embraced the concept of he “Celly.” The league is promoting goal celebrations as they try to improve the appeal of the game to a younger audience. Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers as adopted his own version and it’s unique.

When the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin started scoring goals by the bushel, there was a need for a unique way of celebrating.  Panarin is a showman and he decided to adopt his own version of the “Celly” and the resulting high leg kick has become something to look forward to.

Before he joined the Rangers, Panarin had a different celly, sort of a punching motion. It was pretty ordinary and he probably got the idea to do something special when the Blue Jackets played the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2018.  Evgeny Kuznetsov has one of the most unique moves when he scores a goal, doing the “bird.”

Kuznetsov actually stopped doing the bird doing the playoffs after Panarin scored an overtime winner and the entire Columbus arena erupted in mocking the bird.   It had to give Panarin the idea that he needed a new form of celebration, especially now that is a $10 million man playing at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

No doubt, Panarin got the idea over the summer while he was vacationing with his buddy Sergei Bobrovsky.

Shortly after the season started, Panarin unveiled his new high kick celly.   At first, fans thought he as doing it because the Rangers are owned by the same folks who own Radio City Music Hall and it was a Rockettes promotion.  Nope,  it is just a one of a kind hockey player doing his own one of a kind goal celebration.

Here is the high kick celly in slow motion in all of its glory:

The good news is he has been doing it a lot and shows no sign of slowing down.

As for other Rangers, they are getting into the act.  Brady Skjei had some fun with it after Panarin’s hat trick against the Islanders.

As for other Rangers, Filip Chytil is working on perfecting the kneeling air punch celly.

That’s a move that Mika Zibanejad has been using for a while.

While most of the time the players just jump into each others arms, the Rangers have an interesting history when it comes to goal celebrations.

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