Artemi Panarin is entering a pivotal contract year with the New York Rangers, and the team’s longtime scoring leader hopes to see his first game action of the preseason Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils. This game will help him prepare for the start of his seventh year in New York.
Panarin missed a few days of practice last week due to a lower-body injury but returned to the ice on Friday. Since then, he has been upgraded from wearing a red non-contact jersey to being a full participant in practice.
“I think it’s very important to have a couple of [preseason] games at least, just for timing,” Panarin said after Wednesday’s nearly 90-minute session in Tarrytown. “It’s more about timing, it’s not so much about conditioning. It’s just to feel how fast people are moving around you, how the puck’s moving, just kind of to remind yourself of some things, and then the season starts.”
The 33-year-old left winger can become an unrestricted free agent next summer when the seven-year contract he signed as a free agent in 2019 expires. That deal was worth $81.5 million, with an average annual value (AAV) of $11.64 million.
Panarin has led the Rangers in scoring in each of his first six seasons with the team, totaling 186 goals and 550 points over 430 regular-season games. However, his postseason numbers have dipped, recording 12 goals, 23 assists, and 35 points in 46 playoff appearances. The Rangers missed the playoffs altogether last season, which led to the firing of head coach Peter Laviolette.
Laviolette was replaced by longtime Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who did not reveal his lineup plans for Thursday night’s game at Madison Square Garden. The only confirmed absence is that of captain J.T. Miller, who is out with a lower-body injury.
“[Panarin] looks good. He looks strong,” Sullivan said after practice. “Obviously, he’s an incredible player. The things he does with the puck, he’s a unique player in that regard. You see what he does on the power play, for example, when we worked on our power play in practice today. But I think he looks strong, healthy, fit, all of the above. I don’t know whether we’re going to put him in the lineup [Thursday] or not. But we really like the way he’s trending. I think the last couple of days have been quality practice for him.”
On Wednesday, Panarin skated mostly alongside Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle. His regular linemate, Alexis Lafreniere, was aligned for a second straight day with Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault in Miller’s absence.
The Rangers will conclude their preseason schedule Saturday afternoon in Boston before opening the 82-game regular season next Tuesday at home against the Penguins.
“Like I said before, we have a pretty good group of guys, and then obviously the coaches have had success in the NHL already,” Panarin said, having finished last season with 37 goals and 52 assists in 80 games. “I know they have good experience in the playoffs… so I think only good things for our team this year.”
One of those good things, according to Panarin, would be to dress for either or both of the remaining preseason contests. However, Sullivan believes it’s not imperative.
“I just think for anybody, in a perfect world, you’d like to have everybody get at least a game. Preferably two would be even better in a perfect world,” Sullivan said. “But as we all know, the world’s not perfect, and so I’m sure, regardless of whether or not he gets one or he doesn’t get one, he’s going to be fine. He’s a talented player, and he’ll adjust on the fly. But ideally, we’d like to get him in some action before we start playing meaningful hockey.”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/01/sports/artemi-panarin-awaiting-rangers-action-with-consequential-season-on-tap/