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New York Rangers: Is Artemi Panarin the best Russian player?

By Jake Mozarsky

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 03: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 3, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 03: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 3, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /
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Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers . (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers . (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin is one of the top Russian players in the world, but is he the best?

Russia is producing great hockey players left and right with most of them in the NHL, spearheaded by Artemi Panarin. This year with the New York Rangers, he led all Russians in the NHL in points with 95 and was nominated as a Hart Trophy finalist.

Panarin is one of the best players to come from Russia in the past few years, but this season did he surpass Alex Ovechkin, probably the best of all time? How does he compare to other great Russian players currently in the NHL?

new york rangers
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Alex Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin is still one of the best players in the NHL.  At age 34, he tied for the league lead in goals with 48.  He has led the league in goals scored seven of the last eight years.  Ovechkin has been at the top of hockey since 2005, and just like Panarin, he specializes setting up in the left circle and his one timers are extremely difficult to stop.

With 706 goals scored, he has his sights set on Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals and it is within reach.

While Ovechkin had tons of goals this year, where Panarin has the edge is definitely assists. Ovechkin had 19, and Panarin had 63. That is a major difference for a team’s leading point scorer. Ovechkin definitely produces every night, but has he been good to his teammates?

You could argue that Panarin is currently a better all around player than Ovechkin, but he is far from passing Ovechkin as the best Russian player ever.   Ovechkin is a Russian icon, Panarin is still getting there.

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