Artemi Panarin takes leave of absence from Rangers

Artemi Panarin at Rangers practice on Jan. 15, 2021. Credit: NY Rangers/Nick Homler

By Colin Stephensoncolin.stephenson@newsday.com ColinSNewsdayFebruary 22, 2021

Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence in the wake of an accusation from a former coach that he allegedly beat an 18-year-old woman in a hotel bar after a KHL game in 2011.

Panarin, 29, did not practice with the team Monday, and the organization issued a statement in support of him.

"Artemi vehemently and unequivocally denies any and all allegations in this fabricated story,’’ the statement read. "This is clearly an intimidation tactic being used against him for being outspoken on recent political events. Artemi is obviously shaken and concerned and will take some time away from the team. The Rangers fully support Artemi and will work with him to identify the source of these unfounded allegations."

The timing of the accusation by the coach, Andrei Nazarov, makes it seem as if it might be politically motivated. Panarin has been an outspoken critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin and expressed support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a post on Instagram last month.

Nazarov, who coached Panarin on the Vityaz team in the KHL, gave an interview in which he said Panarin, then 20, beat the woman in a hotel bar after a game in Riga, Latvia, on Dec. 11, 2011. According to the coach, the police came and Panarin was detained, but a bribe was paid and the charges were dropped.

Panarin finished that season and played three more seasons in the KHL before coming to the NHL and joining Chicago in 2015.

He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2016 and played two seasons for Chicago before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017.

He played two seasons for Columbus before signing with the Rangers as a free agent in 2019.

He led the Rangers in scoring and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player in 2019-20. This season, he is leading the team in scoring with five goals and 13 assists in 14 games.

Rangers forward Ryan Strome, Panarin’s linemate for most of his two seasons in New York, called Panarin "an all-around unbelievable person’’ and said he thinks Panarin knows "how much we love him, how much we care for him, how much we appreciate him [and] what he does for us.’’

"Pretty hectic morning here,’’ Strome said. "A lot of emotions and just trying to get through a practice . . . Everybody knows what he does for our team on the ice. I think you guys will be surprised how much he does for us off the ice. It’s just the type of person he is.’’

Said coach David Quinn, "He’s someone we care an awful lot about, and it goes way beyond hockey. And we’re here to support him.’’

Quinn said the Rangers don’t have any idea how long they will be without Panarin, but he has said in the past that because of injuries and COVID-19, the team has to be prepared for anything.

"This is a unique season in a lot of ways, and a lot of things happen that you can’t control,’’ he said. "This certainly is unexpected, something you can’t plan for, but you have to continue to unite as a team. And it’s hard to overcome losing a player like Artemi from a hockey standpoint, but we’ve got to find a way to do it. And our guys realize that.’’

The Rangers also are without forwards Kaapo Kakko, who is on the team’s COVID list, and Filip Chytil, who remains out with an upper-body injury.

Quinn said Kakko is doing well but added that he has no idea when he will be able to return to the team. Chytil, who has been out of action for four weeks (the team gave an initial timetable of four to six weeks), should resume skating soon, Quinn said.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.com ColinSNewsday

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.