Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad paired together for Rangers vs. Islanders

When the Rangers signed Artemi Panarin as a free agent in the summer of 2019, then-coach David Quinn said his intention was to play Panarin and Mika Zibanejad together on the top line.

But the results at the start of the season were underwhelming — for the team and the line. So Quinn split the two up, putting Chris Kreider back on Zibanejad’s left wing, and partnering Panarin with Ryan Strome. The Panarin-Strome combination clicked instantly, and things stayed that way for three years, even after Quinn was replaced as coach by Gerard Gallant last season. And when Vincent Trocheck replaced Strome this season, Gallant put him with Panarin, and kept it that way for the first 12 2/3 games.

But on Sunday, when Gallant didn’t like how the Rangers looked in the first two periods against Detroit, he changed up his forward lines and put Zibanejad and Panarin together for the third period. The coach will stay with that look on Tuesday when the Rangers host the Islanders at Madison Square Garden.

“They're two superstars, very good players,’’ Gallant said. “If we like it, we'll keep it. If we don't like it, we’ll change it. Hopefully it works.’’

“We played three years on the same team, but didn’t much play together [at even-strength],’’ Panarin said. “I think because he played pretty well with ‘Kreids.'

“It's a good opportunity to play with Mika, because he can do everything. He can shoot, he can pass, he can win the battles. He can clean up my mistakes.’’

It’s an intriguing idea, combining the team’s two leading scorers on the same line, with fourth-year forward Kaapo Kakko, as opposed to spreading out the firepower across two top-six lines. Zibanejad and Panarin sync wonderfully when they’re playing on the power play, working with Kreider, Trocheck and point man Adam Fox, whipping the puck around and generating tons of scoring chances. If they can recreate some of that chemistry in five-on-five situations, a Panarin-Zibanejad-Kakko line could be one of the most dangerous in the NHL.

“I mean, he's a special player, obviously,’’ Zibanejad said of Panarin. “He, I would say, has a very unique way of playing. Not a lot of guys can control the tempo like he does . . . Obviously, we’ll try to focus on one game at a time, but hopefully we can get some time here together, and hopefully build something here.’’

How would it work, exactly? Both Zibanejad and Panarin are used to controlling the puck, and being the driver of play on their respective lines. So when they play together, would one have to defer to the other? Could they take turns possessing the puck?

Neither player seemed sure how it would work, but both seemed looking forward to trying it out.

“It's something that I'll probably have a better answer for you . . . after the game,’’ Zibanejad said. “It's just . . . getting the time together to find out how you can complement each other in the right way, and [learning] some of the areas that he likes to move into, [and figuring out] where can I get?

“Everyone's seen that he's an elite passer, so it's trying to play my game, but maybe a little bit more to a shooting role.’’

“I'll try to play simple in the beginning, for sure,’’ Panarin said. “Because you have to feel confidence. You have to feel like you’re partners. We have experience in the NHL. It's easier for us. I’ve played in the NHL seven years, so I’ve played with many different partners. So just try to play simple game. Go to the net.’’

Then he realized what he’d just said, and grinned.

“Not me — them,’’ he said. “They try to play simple game. I don't know about myself."

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.