The 2022-23 season ended in disappointment for Artemi Panarin as he struggled in the New York Rangers’ loss to the New Jersey Devils in their first-round postseason matchup. Adam Fox who played well early in the series made an uncharacteristic giveaway, which led to a shorthanded goal in their Game 7 loss. Now, both star players are bouncing back and they have led their team to a 7-2-0 start this season.
Artemi Panarin
After looking lost in the playoffs last season, Panarin is once again playing like a superstar. Just a few minutes into the Rangers’ first game of the season, he carried the puck into the offensive zone, took a wrist shot, collected his own rebound, and set up Alexis Lafreniere for the team’s first goal of the season.
While Panarin has continued to be an elite playmaker, he is looking to shoot the puck more often this season. In 82 games last season, he averaged 2.49 shots on goal per game, and in nine games this season, he is averaging 3.67 shots on goal per game. Not only is his aggressive mentality helping him score more goals but he’s creating opportunities for teammates on rebounds, too.
Panarin is the lone veteran player on a line with young forwards Lafreniere and Filip Chytil. As expected the trio has produced offensively and so far they have done fairly well defensively as well. There have been some giveaways, as is expected with skilled offensive players, but not too many, and all three players are back-checking.
In addition to his strong play at even strength, Panarin has been excellent at the point on the power play. He has made some beautiful cross-ice passes to set up teammates, but he has also given Chris Kreider opportunities for deflections and rebounds in front of the net by taking more wrist shots. Panarin already has five goals and 10 assists in nine games, including one goal and seven assists on the power play.
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Panarin has been noticeable in every game this season and has recorded a point in every game. In the Rangers’ 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 30, he capped off a three-point night with a cross-ice pass to set up Mika Zibanejad’s overtime winner.
Adam Fox
In his first season as the Rangers head coach, Peter Laviolette has given Fox less ice time on the penalty kill. His ice time per game is down from 24:23 last season to 22:44 so far this season. The decision could help keep the star defenseman from wearing down and he is off to a great start.
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Fox and Ryan Lindgren have formed a very reliable top defense pair and they have come through thus far this season. They have helped contain some very skilled opponents and on average the Rangers are allowing just two goals per game.
Additionally, Fox has been excellent playing the point alongside Panarin on the man advantage. He has set up teammates with cross-ice passes and used his shiftiness to create space. He has also gotten a lot of his wrist shots through traffic which has created opportunities for Kreider in front of the net. Fox already has three goals and eight assists this season with all three goals and six of his assists coming on the man advantage.
Fox also came up clutch for the Rangers in their 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 28. In the third period he scored the game-tying goal on a deflection, then made a cross ice-pass to set up Zibanejad’s go-ahead goal one minute later.
For the Rangers Moving Forward
The formula for the Rangers’ success early this season is playing strong defense and then trusting their star players to come through offensively. Panarin and Fox have done just that as they are off to a dominant start on the power play and they have both played big roles in the team’s five-game winning streak.
The Rangers need Panarin and Fox at their best to reach their potential as a team. While it is still very early, this is an excellent start for both star players and for the team.