Johnny Lazarus, a well-known North American sports journalist, expressed his assessment of Artemy Panarin, considering him the best free agent who ever signed a contract with the Rangers. He discussed the problems faced by the Russian hockey player in the playoff matches, and stressed the importance of his excellent game in the regular NHL championships. Artemiy Panarin signed a seven-year deal with the Rangers worth $81.5 million before the 2019/2020 season.
Johnny Lazarus noted that despite the opinions that Panarin needs to recover or that he is not coping with the playoffs, it is important to take into account the contribution he made to the Rangers over the first four seasons. Ultimately, winning the Stanley Cup remains the main goal, however, he stressed that under the guidance of coach Peter Laviolette, Panarin can regain self-confidence when it is most important.
The journalist also drew attention to the fact that sometimes it seems that too much is expected from Artemy Panarin, without taking into account the importance of team support. He stressed that hockey is a team sport, and success depends not only on one player, but on the whole team.
Lazarus noted that Artemiy Panarin demonstrated his skills under the guidance of various coaches, such as Peter Laviolette, Joel Quenneville and John Tortorella. He stressed that the importance of support from partners on the field should not be underestimated, even among star players.
Regarding last season, when the Rangers were under a lot of pressure due to high expectations, Lazarus expressed the opinion that it can even be useful for teams when they do not have too high expectations. He noted that before the start of the 2022/2023 season, many do not consider Rangers as favorites, and this can remove negative pressure from the team.
The journalist also stressed the difficulty of the Rangers' game in a strong Metropolitan division, and noted that Panarin plays an important role in the regular season. He expressed hope that Panarin will be able to achieve even greater success, including in the playoffs, and concluded his comment by emphasizing that Artemiy Panarin is without a doubt the best free agent ever signed by the Rangers.
