Artemi Panarin got his wish this summer. After the Columbus Blue Jackets season was ended in the second-round last year by the Boston Bruins, Panarin became a free agent. By pretty well all accounts, he was not interested in re-signing with Columbus. Once free agency hit, Panarin wasted no time and inked a monstrous seven-year, $81.5-million deal with the New York Rangers.
This deal made sense for both sides. Panarin got his wish to play in a great city, and the Rangers got to speed up their rebuild. However, it also added pressure for Panarin. This contract made him the second highest paid player, behind only Connor McDavid. So far, so good for both Panarin and his new squad. In fact, his start is likely even better than expected.
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As this list shows, Panarin is the all-time leader in points through their first fourty games with the Rangers. This would be an extremely impressive feat no matter the team, but considering the Rangers alumni since the 79-80 season, it truly is an amazing accomplishment. Some of the names on this list are the some of the best to ever play the game, yet Panarin leads them all. Even more impressive is that Panarin still has one more game to go, as he and his team have only played 39 so far on the season.
Panarin and the Rangers will play their 40th game tonight against the Calgary Flames. They currently sit 7 points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the final wild card spot.
