Artemi Panarin off to fast start in quest for second 100-point season with Rangers

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers
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The New York Rangers have had seven 100-point seasons in their 98 years in the NHL. No player has done it more than once. Artemi Panarin might just be the first.

Panarin lit up the scoreboard last season with 120 points, second in team history behind Jaromir Jagr’s 123 in 2005-06. That included a team-record 15-game point streak from the start of the season, breaking a mark held by Rangers Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert, as well as an NHL career-high 49 goals.

But if the start of the new season is any indication, Panarin will become the Rangers’ first two-time 100-point scorer — and he might surpass Jagr’s mark in the process.

It would be an understatement to say Panarin is off to a fast start. He’s had at least two points in each of New York’s three games, helping to fuel a 2-0-1 start. The 32-year-old forward had two assists in a season-opening 6-0 demolition of the Pittsburgh Penguins, scored twice in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club in the home opener Saturday and assisted on three of the Rangers’ four goals in their 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

His seven points are tied for the NHL lead along with Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel and Penguins center Evgeni Malkin.

Even more impressive is that he’s off to such a hot start despite seeing almost no action in the preseason. Panarin left the two games he dressed for with lower-body injuries, once in the third period and once in the first. After the second one, Oct. 1 against the New Jersey Devils, there was some question as to whether he’d be ready for the start of the season.

But his hot start has put to rest any doubts.

Related: Rangers face tough decision when Ryan Lindgren returns from injury

Panarin’s hot start fuels hopes of 100-point season for Rangers

NHL: Utah at New York Rangers
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Panarin is a big reason the Rangers have scored 16 goals through three games for just the third time in their history; they also did it in 1979-80 and 1983-84. He’s the fourth player in team history to have multiple points in the first three games of a season, joining Chris Kreider (3 GP in 2016-17), Bernie Nicholls (3 GP in 1990-91) and Mike McEwen (3 GP in 1978-79). He’ll try to become the first Ranger with four multi-point games to start a season when the Rangers visit Detroit on Thursday.

The odds appear to be with him. Panarin has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a four-game points streak against the Wings and 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in the past 10.

Another thing that should help Panarin is more production from first-line center Mika Zibanejad, who had a goal and two assists Monday after going scoreless in the Rangers’ first two games.

“It 100 percent helps, especially in the beginning of the year,” Panarin told Newsday after Monday’s win. “You never feel like that when you miss a couple games in the middle of a season. It’s kind of not a big deal. But from the first game [of the season], everyone wants to do something.

“I’m glad he scored tonight and got a couple assists.”

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers
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Zibanejad finding the form that made him a 91-point scorer in 2022-23 can do nothing but help Panarin because opponents won’t be able to focus exclusively on him and linemates Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere.

Another thing that will help will be an improved power play. The Rangers are just 2-for-10 (20.0 percent) with the extra man through three games after finishing third in the NHL on the power play last season at 26.4 percent. Panarin scored one of the power-play goals and assisted on the other after scoring or assisting on 44 of New York’s 65 PPGs last season. As the Rangers’ power-play numbers improve, so will Panarin’s hopes of being the first player in their history with multiple 100-point seasons.

Don’t bet against him.

John Kreiser covered his first Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and is still going... More about John Kreiser

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