Kings get a glimpse of Artemi Panarin’s brilliance in an eventful debut

The New York Rangers return to the ice at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, and it will be the kickoff of the final stretch of the season. Other teams in the league returned on Wednesday, and one of those teams was the Los Angeles Kings featuring Artemi Panarin.

Panarin makes his long-awaited Kings debut

Panarin’s first night in a Los Angeles Kings sweater offered early impact, flashes of elite creativity, growing crowd energy—and one costly moment that ultimately iced the game.

The Kings dropped a game 6-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights, a shorthanded Vegas lineup missing several cornerstone players, including Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin. Despite the absences, the Golden Knights capitalized on key moments.

Coming out of the Olympic break, Panarin finally entered a Kings lineup that has been starved for offense. Under head coach Jim Hiller, Los Angeles has leaned heavily into structure and defensive responsibility, but the offensive numbers spotlight a troubling trend as they entered the night 30th in the NHL in goals per game (2.54) and 29th on the power play (16%). The need for a true offensive weapon was obvious.

Early impact injects life to a sleepy building

Panarin wasted little time showing why the Kings acquired him from the Rangers.

After Los Angeles fell behind 1–0 early, Panarin generated the response. His attempted slap-pass across the zone deflected off Quinton Byfield and found its way into the net – tying the game and injecting life into a sleepy Crypto.com Arena. When the assist was announced, the reaction was the loudest crowd pop of the night to that point.

From there, a pattern emerged. Offensive chances were still hard to come by for Los Angeles, but whenever Panarin was on the ice, the ice tilted in their favor. Skating alongside Adrian Kempeand Alex Laferriere, Panarin consistently pushed play into the offensive zone. For most of the game, they were the only Kings line generating sustained pressure—and the contrast was noticeable.

Second-period surge gives Kings the lead

The second period followed a similar script early before Panarin again made his presence known. Off the rush, he threaded a pass into the middle of the slot to Anze Kopitar, setting up a sequence that ended with Kempe burying the puck to give Los Angeles its first lead of the night. It was a clean, high-skill play that showcased exactly what Panarin brings to a roster lacking creators.

Outside of that line, offense remained limited. But every Panarin shift came with anticipation, and the building responded accordingly. The Kings carried a 2–1 lead into the second intermission, largely on the back of their newest star.

Third-period collapse and a costly mistake

That momentum unraveled quickly in the third.

Vegas erupted for three goals in a span of roughly four minutes, flipping a tight game into a 4–2 Golden Knights lead. Byfield pulled the Kings back within one shortly after, but a costly mistake  came soon after. In a moment of frustration, Panarin took a retaliatory roughing penalty following extended holding in the corner from Jeremy Lauzon – a player who was hitting everything in his path all game. However, the timing could not have been worse for the Kings.

Vegas capitalized on the ensuing power play, extending the lead to 5–3 with under five minutes remaining and effectively sealing the game. The Kings would add another goal late, but the damage was done in a 6–4 loss.

The cloud over a promising start

Panarin’s debut in many ways was exactly what Los Angeles hoped for. He drove play, elevated his linemates, and was directly involved in the Kings’ most dangerous moments. Yet his night will have a cloud over it –  remembered for an undisciplined decision that overshadowed an otherwise promising performance.

Within Hiller’s defense-first system, Panarin stands out as a single elite creator. The Kings will need him to be the engine of the offense moving forward – especially with Kevin Fiala’s season-ending injury in Milan.

One game in and the question isn’t whether Artemi Panarin can move the needle for Los Angeles. It’s whether this team can do enough around him.