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New York Rangers: A Christmas present

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 – OCTOBER 03: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first goal with the team during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden on October 03, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 03: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first goal with the team during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden on October 03, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Christmas Day, 2019.  Hockey teams don’t give their fans gifts on Christmas and the New York Rangers are no exception.  Christmas this year came in July.

What better present for their fans from New York Rangers management than the signing of free agent Artemi Panarin.  What better day to reflect on how wonderful he has been than Christmas Day.

Panarin has played all 36 games for the team this season.  Although he is 5’11” and less than 170 pounds, he has been durable and has the uncanny ability to get away from devastating bodychecks. He is averaging 20:30 minutes of ice time per game, the most of his career.

It’s scary to think about where this team would be without him.  He has 20 goals and 25 assists for 45 points. He is scoring goals at a 0.56 per game clip, highest of his career.  His points per game ratio is 1.25, also the highest of his career.   At these rates he will finish with 46 goals and 103 points. That goal total will be the most since Jaromir Jagr scored 54 goals in 2005-06.  That was also the last time a Ranger had over 100 points.  Jagr had a mindblowing 123 points that year.

It’s not just the prolific scoring that make Panarin special.  It’s how important he is to the team. He has scored a goal in 17 of the Rangers 26 games.  He’s had at least a point in 28 of 36 games.  When he scores a goal, they are 10-7. When he gets at least a point they are 16-12. , What’s important is what happens when he doesn’t score.  When Panarin has been shut out, the Rangers have  lost seven games and won only one.

It’s a good thing that the longest Panarin has gone without a point is two games. In the meantime, he’s had a five game goal scoring streak and he’s had point scoring streaks of seven and 12 games.

Panarin has embraced New York and New York has embraced Panarin.  Whether it be his Twitter feed or his dog’s Instagram account, you know that he loves playing here.

https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1208466894132523013

He knows how the fans respond to players who want to be here and he has taken the title of fan favorite from Mats Zuccarello and will hopefully hold it for the next six and a half years.

The New York Rangers have a strange habit of souring on their stars.  They allowed Jaromir Jagr to leave for the KHL.  They let Mark Messier go to Vancouver in free agency.  They let John Torotorella run Marian Gaborik out of town.  Brian Leetch ended his career as a Boston Bruin. Let’s not even mention Eddie Giacomin.

Panarin signed a seven year contract with a full no movement clause.  He’s not going anywhere for a long time.

Merry Christmas Ranger fans…

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