The New York Rangers may be on their way to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division following Igor Shesterkin's injury. But Artemi Panarin isn't giving up. His offensive play has yet to slow down, and he's now on the verge of passing two franchise legends in multi-assist games.
Mark Messier and Jean Ratelle are players Rangers fans know well, and both have solidified their respective spots in team history. Messier and Ratelle are Hockey Hall of Famers and are members of the NHL's 100th Anniversary Team.
For a player like Panarin to be on the verge of passing Messier and Ratelle during a season when he has seen his team on the wrong end of eight shutouts over the first half of the season, it's more than just impressive. And he's well within striking distance of passing Messier while making serious ground on Ratelle.
Artemi Panarin's play is about to be fourth in Rangers history in multi-assist games
With 94 multi-assist games across 473 contests in a Rangers uniform, Panarin is three away from passing Messier, who had 96 in 698 games. Meanwhile, Ratelle played in 861 games for the Blueshirts and saw himself snagging at least two assists on 106 different occasions.
While passing Messier is a foregone conclusion, barring injury or a complete meltdown in performance, it won't be easy for Panarin to pass Ratelle this season. Panarin is also in the final season of his contract with the Rangers, he's playing for a team that is clearly in retooling mode, and there is no guarantee he will be in a Blueshirts uniform by the end of the season should the Rangers trade him near the deadline.
Should the Rangers stay at least within striking distance of a wild card, however, it will be tough for them to part ways with Panarin, even if a viable trading partner came along.
Artemi Panarin can rally the Rangers amidst the team's struggles
The Rangers may be sputtering offensively, but players like Panarin are capable of being the rallying point. With 46 points and 30 assists so far on the season, he's the type of playmaker who can open things up and get some much-needed scoring going for the Blueshirts.
Should he ignite the Rangers' scoring, and if the team can navigate through losing Igor Shesterkin, then catching and passing Ratelle isn't so far-fetched. If the Rangers don't get it together, Panarin falls short, but he would still hold the distinction of most multi-assist games per contest.
With 94 in 473 games with the Rangers, Panarin is enjoying a multi-assist game 19.8 percent of the time. Messier sits at only 13.7, while Ratelle hit the mark 12.3 percent of the time. That alone will put Panarin in the Rangers record books, but it would be great to see him rally this crew and pass up both Messier and Ratelle this season. If that occurs, it means the Rangers will have turned around their fortunes in finding the net.