Why Artemi Panarin is in the race for the Hart Trophy

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin’s most recent surge has legitimized his Hart Trophy candidacy. His continued success may put him in a position to claim the Rangers’ first MVP award since Mark Messier won it in 1992.

Artemi Panarin has captivated New York Rangers fans with a combination of on-ice brilliance and off-ice exuberance, leading him to become one of the most entertaining figures in New York.

His mixture of smarts and skill has many claiming that Panarin is the piece the Rangers have missed for the last decade, assumptions that are astounding considering he is merely 45 games into his first season on Broadway.

Not only has Panarin played his way into the hearts of those who support the Blueshirts, but he has also played his way into the Hart Trophy race, displaying his superstar talent on a nightly basis. The left-wing is currently fourth in the league in points with 67, seventh in goals with 26, and sixth in assists with 41.

Over the past four games, Panarin has tallied 12 points – four goals and eight assists – and has catapulted himself into the Hart Trophy conversation alongside Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, and others.

All four players are having outstanding statistical seasons, but none are doing it in the same situation and under the same spotlight as Panarin. Coming into New York with massive expectations on your shoulders is not an easy feat, but there is even more pressure when you are thrust into a leadership role on the third-youngest team – at 26.4 years old –  in the NHL.

Panarin has lived up to the hype that surrounded his seven-year, $81.5 million deal, averaging 1.49 points per game, a total that is behind only McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It is evident that Panarin has moved into the upper echelon of the NHL, but the advanced stats further demonstrate just how dominant a player he has been.

Statistics that could determine the Hart

Goals for percentage shows how many of a team’s total goals are scored when that player is on the ice. Artemi Panarin’s goals for percentage at all strengths sit at a whopping 68%, which is higher than McDavid’s 62.09% and MacKinnon’s 61.03%, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Panarin also has the most points at even strength in the league with 52, which is more than Pastrnak’s 39, McDavid’s 41, and MacKinnon’s 44. In addition, Panarin’s 17 primary assists at even strength are tied with MacKinnon and ahead of McDavid’s 16, according to Natural Stat Trick.

It is no secret that Artemi Panarin is one of the most dangerous even-strength threats in the league, a testament to his ability to produce outside of special teams situations. His plus/minus of plus-23 is currently fourth in the NHL and is far superior to McDavid’s minus-4, MacKinnon’s plus-3, and Pastrnak’s plus-15.

Now, Panarin does have one thing working against him when it comes to the Hart Trophy’s voting criteria.  That criteria is the award is given “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”

Success of the team is an important factor and the New York Rangers currently sit outside of a playoff spot, something that could keep the forward from claiming the coveted award no matter how strong he finishes this campaign.

If the Hart Trophy truly represents the most valuable player, then Panarin has to be a front runner for the award. Nathan MacKinnon plays with Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. David Pastrnak plays on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Connor McDavid is switched on and off of a line with Leon Draisaitl, another Hart candidate.

Yet here is Artemi Panarin, playing on a line with a once disregarded Ryan Strome and an underappreciated Jesper Fast. Together they have gelled and Panarin has brought out the best in both players, creating a dynamic trio. That value to a team cannot be measured by points or advanced stats. That is measured by the camaraderie and the continued perseverance of a Rangers squad determined to achieve an unrealistic goal.

If Panarin can do the seemingly impossible and guide the New York Rangers to a playoff berth, we could be looking at a Taylor Hall 2.0 and the Hart Trophy could grace New York for the first time in nearly 30 years.