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Nearly 17 months after the Rangers sent out the unforgettable rebuild letter in February 2018, Artemi Panarin took his talents to New York to the tune of $81.5 million over seven years.
The credit for landing the biggest fish on the free-agent market at the time goes to the organization’s former managerial duo of president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton. Panarin has been everything the Rangers needed him to be, and now the star winger is leading the club to its first playoff berth in five years.
“We sent the letter out, and then we signed a big ticket,” Chris Kreider said while looking over at Panarin sitting next to him after the Rangers’ playoff-clinching victory over the Senators on Saturday, “I think we more reloaded than rebuilt in a lot of ways.”
Panarin, who leads the Rangers with 88 points, extended his point streak to four games and recorded his 11th three-point game with a goal and two assists. Since Panarin entered the NHL in 2015-16, only the Oilers’ star duo of Connor McDavid (81) and Leon Draisaitl (61) have more three-point games than Panarin’s 59.
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It was also Panarin’s 18th multi-assist outing of the season, which is tied with the likes of Mark Messier, Brian Leetch and Jean Ratelle for the most by a Ranger in a single season.
“A little overall,” Panarin said through a translator when asked if he’s elevated his game of late. “Obviously, I kind of do want to be even better than I am, I do try.”
Even in a season where he’s looked a tad off at times — more hesitant with the puck and less imposing in certain situations — Panarin has still managed to impact games more often than not.
But lately, the Russian has been consistently spectacular at a crucial time in the season. Panarin has five goals and 12 assists for 17 points over the last 12 games. Even without Ryan Strome for four games, Panarin didn’t slow down and made it work with trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Copp.
“He always does things every single night that just make us roll our eyes on the bench,” Kreider said of Panarin. “Stuff that no one else can do. I don’t think he’s any different than anyone else on our team, he understands that we were on the precipice of making the playoffs and he’s a big-game player to go along with all the things that he does so incredibly well — that no one else can do. He obviously raised his level, that’s just Arty.”
Gerard Gallant became the 15th Rangers head coach to qualify for the playoffs in his first season with the club.
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