Top 5 plays from Artemi Panarin in 2018-19

Most New York Rangers fans you talk to are pretty excited about Artemi Panarin joining the roster in the 2019-20 season.

Panarin is 27-years-old, and established himself as one of the most elite young talents in the league over the first four years playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets.

In his first season in the league, Panarin posted 77 points (30 goals, 47 assists) and was awarded the Calder Trophy (given to the NHL’s “most proficient” first year player). In his second season, Panarin was just as consistent recording 74 points (31 goals, 43 assists).

Upon his trade to Columbus, Panarin’s numbers in the assist column jumped. In 2017-18, Panarin recorded 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) and last season he hit a career high 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists).

We took a look back at last season, and evaluated some of Panarin’s best moments. It is not just the number of goals he scores, but the way that he has manages to do him that makes him so impactful on the ice.

This is what we will have to live with for now, as we patiently await his arrival on the ice in New York.

Number 5

Panarin is known for his goal scoring ability. In addition, the upward trend seen in his assist column in the past few seasons has also made a big impact for his team.

This goal against Detroit is a great example of just how well Panarin can read the ice, make effective plays and in the end generate offense, even if he isn’t the one scoring the goal.

This play starts on Columbus end of the ice after the puck deflects off a Red Wing in the neutral zone.

Out of the corner, the puck comes to the stick of Cam Atkinson. With Panarin on his left, skating to open ice, Atkinson moves the puck up to him. He skates up into the neutral zone drawing the attention of both Red Wing defensemen.

Panarin recognizes in this split second that his teammate Pierre-Luc Dubois is a step ahead of his defenseman and he immediately floats the puck toward the back boards.

With a seemingly perfect deflection, the puck comes right to the stick of Dubois who in one move dekes to his left across the crease and puts the puck past Jimmy Howard.

Forty-three of Panarin’s 58 assists in 2018-19 were primary assists, and ones like this should be particularly appreciated.

Many might attempt a play like this, but the chances of it working as perfectly are low. Maybe in this case it was lucky, but either way, Panarin’s sight and ability to complete plays like this will only add value.

Number 4

There is a saying that goes that anyone that might become a New York Ranger one day has to score on the Rangers.

And well — here we are!

The play starts with the Rangers controlling the puck in front of the Columbus net. Tony DeAngelo seems to attempt a pass up to the blueline from behind the corner which is knocked down in front by David Savard and carried to center ice with DeAngelo trailing just behind.

He passes to Panarin on his left at the blueline. Panarin takes a few steps into the zone and winds up looking as if he’s going to release a shot on net. As Brett Howden makes a move to pressure him, Panarin eases off and makes a move to his right. Howden falls off to the corner, and Panarin pushes the puck right in front of the skates of the approaching DeAngelo and make space in wide open space in front of the Rangers net.

Never give Artemi Panarin this much space.

The next closest Rangers’ body is poor Ryan Lindgren who stood no chance against the perfectly elevated blocker side top corner beauty placed by Panarin. A specialty of his it seems.

Plays like this show just how well Panarin can generate space for himself. Even in moments when it seems like he may not be a threat, he can take one step and become one. This makes him a huge asset on any roster.

Number 3

To futher prove Panarin’s ability to read what’s going on on the ice, here is a great example of just how much patient he can be with the puck.

Off an offensive zone faceoff, Seth Jones make a great play to keep the puck in the zone for Columbus.

Atkinson plays the puck in the corner, back to Jones on the blueline. He serves the puck to the left to Panarin who sits on top of the circle. He controls the puck in front of Nasville’s Ryan Ellis. With Dubois screening in front of Pekka Rinne, Panarin fakes a pass to Jones, skates in a few steps, and the second he feels he has a lane to the net, fires a shot on goal.

This is another example of a perfectly placed puck on the top corner of blocker side.

Being able to exhibit patience but still produce is something the Rangers have desperately missed. Having a player who can read the ice as well as Panarin will go  long way.

Number 1

Finally, we come to one of my favorite moments of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year. Columbus was trailing 2-1 about halfway through the second period, and Panarin scored a goal to shift the momentum.

In this entire play, Panarin’s teammates that do most of the work.

After a faceoff win on their own end, Zach Werenski passes the puck off to Panarin, who holds behind the net.

He comes out from behind and leaves the puck for Werenski, and moves to skate up the right hand side of the ice.

Werenski takes the puck up, all the way through the neutral zone, and takes a shot on net that deflects to the lefthand corner. He is seemingly the lone Blue Jacket in play, as all four Bruins players pinch toward the corner where Werenski and the puck are.

Panarin skates through, but lets Werenski handle the situation. There is then a turnover in the corner, and still with four Bruins and one Blue Jacket, you may think the play is over, but what unfolds is far different.

Bruins forward Charlie Coyle makes a pass behind him, and it floats into unmanned ice in front of the net. Jones manages possession just outside the right hand circle. He immediately passes the puck to Panarin — perhaps because of the incoming defensemen or perhaps because it felt like Panarin should be the guy with the puck in this moment.

With all four Bruins and his three teammates all pulled off to the left, it is Panarin, Tuukka Rask and a wide open right side of the net. However, Panarin is positioned at a low angle, making the wide open net harder to attain.

He displays that patience, yet again, and waits for Rask to make a move. He goes low, and Panarin shoots high, roofing a puck off the top section of net so hard that it almost looks like it missed the net.

This play turned this game around for Columbus and they came back to win 3-2 and tie up the series at 1-1.

Final Thoughts

While Artemi Panarin’s impact on the Rangers roster is still yet to be seen, what he brings to the table is undeniably positive.

Panarin has all of the qualities that every team would love to see in one or two of in their players, but he somehow has bottled up them all. This bodes extremely well for the Rangers.

Panarin is an elite talent. He is confident with the puck, but is also smart with it. He can be patient with the puck, but he is decisive and pointed in the plays he makes. He can skate when he needs to, but he knows when it’s better to slow play down.

Qualities and leadership like this on a roster that will have even more young players than we saw last year will help to build the foundation at atmosphere needed to help the Rangers complete their rebuild.

Building an offense around Panarin is a great idea. If the Rangers give him the opportunity to play his game and lead on the ice, Panarin has proven he will make the most of it.