The best shootout player in the league and he’s a Ranger

In a deep dive at the numbers from last season for the New York Rangers we looked at the shootout record.  One thing we learned is that Artemi Panarin is really good at it.

When the New York Rangers signed Artemi Panarin, they were getting a career point a game player who is adept at setting up his teammates for goals.  While Panarin has averaged 29 goals per year in his four NHL seasons, what’s really impressive is his 51 assist per year average.  That works out to 0.63 assists per game.

Compare that to Mika Zibanejad, arguably, the Rangers top offensive weapon until Panarin came aboard. Zibanjad has averaged 0.35 assists per game in his three year career in New York.

There’s no doubt that Mats Zuccarello was the best Ranger playmaker over the last few years.  He led the team in assists four out of the last five full seasons he played in New York.  Even Zuccarello’s assist average cannot compare to Panarin as he averaged 0.47 assists per game in his nine years with the Rangers.

So, Artemi Panarin’s playmaking ability is clearly his forte and he will make his linemates into better goal scorers.  But what about scoring touch?

Panarin and the shootout

There’s no clearer method to determine a player’s ability as a pure goal scorer than in the skills competition known as the shootout.  Guess who is the leading active scorer in the shootout with a 65% success rate?  Artemi Panarin.  In fact, Panarin is in second place all-time, only behind Petteri Nummelin of the Minnesota Wild (80%).

Panarin has taken 20 shootout attempts and has scored 13 times with six of those goals deciding the competition.  No one else is even close.  Even T.J. Oshie, acknowledged as the finest shootout artist in the game, has a lower scoring percentage of 52.5%.   Granted, Oshie has had 80 attempts, four times the number that Panarin has had, but he has scored just over half the time.

In case you forgot, here is the shootout goal that Panarin scored to clinch a playoff spot for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Rangers.

Panarin, Oshie and Zuccarello are the only active players who have attempted as many as 20 shootouts and scored at least half of the time.  Zuccarello is exactly at 50% with 25 goals in 50 shots.

The only Ranger to make the list anywhere near the top is Zibanejad with a career 44% success rate.  It will be interesting to see who Quinn uses.  Based on this move, Kaapo Kakko should get the call.

Overtime

Panarin’s prowess as a goal scorer extends to overtime.  The most overtime goals scored in a season by one player is five.  That record is held by Jonathan Toews, Alex Galchenyuk, Brad Marchand and Steven Stamkos.   Guess who is next on the list with four in one season?   You guessed it. Artemi Panarin. He’s not alone, but he was the only player in the NHL with that many last season.

Considering that the Rangers finished 3-9 in overtime and 6-5 in the shootout, the addition of Artemi Panarin could provide an immediate benefit. As great a set-up man as he is, it sure looks like he knows when to shoot.  The Rangers should know.  In 12 games lifetime against the Blueshirts, he has toasted them for 12 goals and six assists.  Three of those goals were game winners.

Let’s hope that Panarin picks a Metropolitan Division rival to take the Rangers’ place as his favorite team to target. In the meantime, it’s just another reason to look forward to the newest Ranger as he makes his debut.

And since this is an article about the shootout and it is the middle of the dog days of August, I will leave you with the greatest shootout goal ever scored in the history of the NHL.  Yes, Marek Malik of the New York Rangers vs. the Washington Capitals.  Enjoy.