The New York Rangers made their first big trade of their retool by trading away Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. The return wasn't great for the Rangers, considering Panarin had full say on where he wanted to play, which just so happened to be the Kings. He hasn't played a single game for his new team since the Olympic break. And it seems like the Kings are allowing Panarin to do what he does best to help the team.
During practice on Wednesday, Kings head coach Jim Hiller revealed that they are going to allow Panarin to do what he does best to help them with their scoring woes.
“He’ll come in and do what we do but we're not going to strip him of what he does, we have to be careful in that,” Hiller said, h/t Zach Dooley of the Kings' official website “He's going to do his thing. I've talked to him enough. I've seen him play. He's going to integrate himself into what he has to do defensively, but he's going to have to just be who he is.”
Artemi Panarin is already playing significant role on Kings
The Kings desperately needed scoring help. At the Olympic break, the Kings average just 2.54 goals per game tied for third-worst in the entire NHL. The other team tied with them are the last place Vancouver Canucks. The Kings, meanwhile, are just three points outside of third place in the Pacific Division and the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. If the Kings didn't improve on their scoring, it likely would result in the team missing out on the playoffs altogether.
Luckily for them, Panarin expressed a willingness to only accept a trade to Los Angeles. The Rangers followed through with his request, and it cost the Kings prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-round pick.
As Dooley points out, it seems Panarin had say in where he wanted to line up in the forward groups, as he is on the left wing alongside center Alex Laferriere during Wednesday's practice. While Taylor Ward was lining up at right wing, it's entirely likely that it will be Adrian Kempe in that position when he's ready to go after the Olympics.
Sounds like Panarin had some input here, based on what Jim Hiller said after today's practice.
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 18, 2026
Panarin is a RH shot on the left wing and likes a left-shot winger on the right wing, because he likes to make cross-ice passes. Makes Kempe the natural fit. https://t.co/jXlJM9DxwN
The Kings are also, per Dooley, allowing Panarin to lead the top power play unit from the left side. That's how much they value Panarin, even before he played a game for the team. But given that they not only made the trade. but also signed him to a two-year, $22 million contract extension immediately afterwards.
Not only that, but the Panarin is definitely needed much more now, as Kevin Fiala is out for the season after suffering multiple leg fractures while competing for Switzerland in their Winter Olympics group stage game against Canada.
This season, Panarin has 19 goals and 38 assists to his credit through 52 games. He's not putting up his usual numbers, but that can at least be credited to the Rangers not being a great all-around team this season. Plus, he was shut down in the days before the Olympic roster freeze as he and the Rangers tried to finalize a trade.
The Kings needed scoring help and they got Panarin to help them out. So, it's understandable why they are allowing Panarin to do what he does best to try and liven up their offense.