Panarin ready for homecoming against Rangers with Kings

NEW YORK -- Artemi Panarin returned to the New York area last week, but the feeling was a little different Monday.

The left wing was back at Madison Square Garden for the first time since he was traded by the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4 for forward prospect Liam Greentree, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

"Special. I'm glad you guys still remember me," Panarin said. "Still open the door. Just nice to be in New York again.”

He will be in the spotlight on what should be an emotional night Monday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNW, MSG), when he plays as a visitor at Madison Square Garden for the first time in over seven years.

"We'll see," Panarin said. "I'll try not cry. We are battling for the playoffs. I don't have time for that emotion, but, yeah, I'm just excited to play in MSG again."

Panarin, who played at the New York Islanders on Friday and New Jersey Devils on Saturday, will face the Rangers as a visiting player for the first time since April 5, 2019, when he was with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored in that game and had the winning goal in a 3-2 shootout victory to help Columbus clinch a Stanley Cup Playoff berth.

"I remember that. I was already in my mind in New York," Panarin said. "So, yeah, I was trying harder than usual in that game. That was work for me."

After that season ended, Panarin signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with New York as an unrestricted free agent. He has a no-movement clause in his contract but was given permission by the Rangers to seek out a new destination after New York general manager Chris Drury told him he would not be re-signed after this season.

"I feel like this ended very quick," Panarin said. "It was not expected, but also, I had seven years here, so it was a great time for me. … I think (I'll remember) the energy. Obviously the history, people. Even when they boo us after 17 seconds from the start of the game.

"Just thank you for everything. It was a great time."

He decided on Los Angeles, which signed him to a two-year, $22 million contract the same day as the trade. He has been living at the home of Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who signed with New York as a free agent after the previous three seasons with the Kings.

"Yeah, actually, my wife did everything," Panarin said. "I was staying at 'Gavy's' house. He still has a house. And then my wife moved in with the kids, did everything by herself.”

Playing on the top line with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Adrian Kempe, he has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 10 games since the trade.

"I think anybody who watches our games any night can see how dynamic he is out there and how much better he makes our team," forward Alex Laferriere said. "Not only is he a great player, but he's been a great addition in the locker room as well. I think he jells really well with a lot of the guys on the team and I love being around him. And yeah, I think on the ice too, he's such a dynamic player. He's so good with the puck. It's a pleasure to be able to watch him and try and learn stuff from him.”

The Kings (27-24-15) are 3-6-1 since his arrival and enter Monday two points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card into the playoffs from the West, and six behind the Edmonton Oilers, who are third in the Pacific Division. They're averaging 3.00 goals-per game since Panarin arrived (tied for 16th in the NHL), with the power play at 23.8 percent (13th).

Before his arrival, Los Angeles was tied for 29th in goals per game (2.54) and 29th on the power play (16.0 percent).

"He's able to make plays in tight spaces that other guys can't," Kings coach D.J. Smith said.  "He also helps the power play, so he's been great for our group. He's been great for our group away from the rink, too, in the dressing room, just a fun-loving guy that loves hockey. Guys like him and guys like playing with him.”

Panarin played 482 regular-season games for the Rangers, getting 607 points (205 goals, 402 assists), which is ninth in franchise history. He led the Rangers in scoring in each of his six full seasons and led them before the trade with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists) in 52 games.

He helped New York reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024. Perhaps his most famous goal was on the power play at 4:46 of overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022, after New York trailed the best-of-7 series 3-1.

"Probably that goal against Pittsburgh," Panarin said. "I have a lot of good moments here, but the Pittsburgh goal was something special."

All of that is in the past. His new task is trying to help the Kings reach the playoffs and win a postseason series for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. They have lost six straight series since then, including each of the past four to the Oilers in the first round.

"We have a few injured guys, which are important to us," Panarin said, "but we're still right now fighting for the playoffs, which is a good thing and we have a great group of guys here."

It will be weird playing against his former teammates, but Panarin is up for the task.

"I hope they're not going to be that hard on me," he said. "Sometimes they don't have to backcheck that hard. I will try to focus on the game too, especially since it is emotional for me. We are fighting for the playoffs, so trying to help."