Rangers Daily: Grass not greener yet in Hollywood for Artemi Panarin
Artemi Panarin didn’t exactly go from bad to worse when the New York Rangers traded him to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4. After all, the Rangers are last in the Eastern Conference and tied for 30th overall in the NHL standings.
But there’s been almost nothing but bad mojo out in Hollywood since The Breadman departed Broadway. First, star wing Kevin Fiala sustained multiple fractures in his leg playing for Switzerland at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, had surgery and is out for the rest of the season.
So, instead of having a pair of high-scoring wings to juice their offense after the Panarin trade, the former Rangers star essentially replaces Fiala in the Kings lineup. And now, there’s even more pressure on Panarin to score, because Andrei Kuzmenko is week to week following surgery this past weekend to repair a torn meniscus.
As further proof that things can be as unsteady on the West Coast as they are back East, the Kings fired coach Jim Hiller on Sunday. Sitting on the outside of the playoffs, the Kings (24-21-14) are three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card in the Western Conference and four behind the Edmonton Oilers for third place in the Pacific Division — though with several teams to pass in the divisional race.
Amid the tumult, Panarin has three assists in his first three games with the Kings, beginning with a two-point debut last week. He’s still seeking his first goal with his new team, though he finally got a win with them Saturday, after losing the first two games.
Apparently, there’s no running from drama for Panarin, even when he got to hand-pick his next team.
New York Rangers news and analysis
John Kreiser takes a look at the Rangers week ahead, which includes three games and, you may have heard, the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday.
When asked about the Rangers retool and general manager Chris Drury’s letter to fans, star goalie Igor Shesterkin relied on his tried and true response: “I don’t speak English,” even though, you know, he was speaking English with reporters at the time.
Shesterkin at least provided some answers on the ice, when he backstopped a 3-2 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Lou Orlando has the key Rangers takeaways from a rare win on home ice.
Here’s a breakdown of whether the Rangers should keep or trade “ultimate teammate” Sam Carrick ahead of the deadline.
Our Pat Pickens goes one-on-one with an Upper Deck executive to discuss the new Centennial card sets for the Rangers to celebrate 100 years of Rangers hockey, and why fans and collectors should be interested.
ICYMI: Here’s a dive into what Adam Fox did and didn’t say about his desire to remain with the Rangers during this current retool.
NHL news and rumors
Sportsnet: To kick off trade deadline week in the NHL, a great place to start is the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman. He breaks down the latest trade rumors, including where Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers sits among the centers who could move before Friday.
ESPN: Here’s a breakdown of four teams that need to make a blockbuster trade, including one the Rangers just played and another they’ll face this week.
New Jersey Hockey Now: James Nichols looks into his crystal ball and predicts where six Devils could be traded to ahead of the deadline. That includes Dougie Hamilton and Dawson Mercer, among the six.
New York Post: Matthew Schaefer continues to prove that winning the NHL Draft Lottery in the right year can turn around an entire franchise. He scored twice, including his 20th goal, most ever by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history, and the Islanders won their fifth straight, beating the Florida Panthers 5-4 on Anders Lee’s last-minute goal.
Florida Hockey Now: On the flip side, the Panthers are now eight points out of a playoff spot with 22 games to play, facing the distinct possibility they’ll miss the posteseason after reaching the Stanley Cup Final three straight years and winning the past two. George Richards breaks down the Panthers’ plight.
TSN: Craig Button makes the case for the Toronto Maple Leafs to strip it down completely, forget a retool and get straight into a rebuild.
Vegas Hockey Now: Not only did the Golden Knights lose 5-0 to the Penguins, they lost captain Mark Stone to an unspecified injury after he was cross-checked by Kris Letang. Hannah Kirkell has the latest.
