New York Rangers Have an Artemi Panarin Problem

The offensively-sapped Blueshirts need Panarin to return to his best. Through six games, the Rangers own a 2-3-1 record and rank 31st in the NHL with just 1.83 goals per game to begin the new season. Only the Calgary Flames have been more goal-starved at 1.80 goals per game.

Panarin needs to provide more than the occasional “apple.” He was brought to Madison Square Garden to be a lead dog, not a passenger.

The 26th-ranked Rangers’ power play has only operated at a 11.8 success rate. Panarin has only registered one power play point despite averaging a team-high 4:38 power play time on ice per game.

Questions Remain Over Panarin’s Future on Broadway

Panarin isn’t helping his own cause to remain part of the Rangers’ plans beyond his current deal. His $11.6 million average annual value contract expires at season’s end. If no extension is reached, he would be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on Jul. 1, 2026.

If he doesn’t bring the required effort and regresses offensively, it would be an easy decision for the Rangers to either let him play out the season and walk — or seek trade compensation prior to the Mar. 6, 2026 NHL trade deadline.

Does Panarin Fit the Rangers’ New Culture?

Head coach Mike Sullivan is instilling a culture where every Ranger gives a fully committed effort across 200 feet of ice. Unless Panarin suddenly changes his stripes, he doesn’t fit the prototype.

Sullivan coached bigger stars than Panarin in Pittsburgh. They fully bought-in to his in-your-face, do anything to win style of hockey. The Penguins’ skill combined with a relentless team attitude is what won them back-to-back Stanley Cup championships under Sullivan in 2016 and 2017.

The Rangers named J.T. Miller captain largely because of his feisty, all-out style of play. General manager Chris Drury desires to reshape the Blueshirts’ identity in Miller’s image, and he hasn’t been shy to make significant roster alterations.

He wants the Rangers to be a pain in the butt to play against, and he wants opposing teams to leave Madison Square Garden feeling like they’ve emptied the tank.

It feels like Panarin is going against the grain of what the Rangers are trying to build, and his exit from “The World’s Most Famous Arena” feels like an inevitability.