Artemi Panarin is off to his worst start with the New York Rangers since signing an $81.5 million megadeal with the team in the summer of 2019.
It's not ideal for the pending unrestricted free agent, and the Russian star shaved his head to try to get back to his usual, highly productive self, he told The New York Post's Dan Martin earlier this week.
“I had to change something,” the 34-year-old said. “The next step is a left stick if this doesn’t work.”
Panarin admitted that he has given some thought to his future, although no extension talks have begun between his camp and the Rangers brass.
“For sure. Players always think about their next years,” he continued. “But it’s not an excuse. I always feel confident, but it’s not 100 percent like usual because I don’t have enough points. But that can change any game. Maybe it will [Friday]. I feel close [to scoring] every game. It’s just not working. I’m getting chances, I just can’t score right now.”
Panarin enjoyed his best campaign in the Big Apple in 2023-24 — which was also his best NHL season to date — amassing 49 goals and 120 points. That decreased to 89 points in 80 games last year, which was still a torrid pace.
But he's mired in a brutal slump in 2025-26; Panarin has managed just two goals and seven points in 14 games, by far the worst pace of his 10-year National Hockey League career.
Rangers aren't going anywhere if Artemi Panarin doesn't produce
It's been an overall extremely challenging stretch in New York; the Blueshirts missed the postseason in 2024-25, and are currently 6-6-2 and dead last in the Metropolitan Division through 14 games this year.
Adding insult to injury, the Rangers still haven't won at Madison Square Garden, going an abysmal 0-5-1 through six games in front of the home crowd.
This just isn't the roster it once was — one that made two Eastern Conference Final appearances in three seasons between 2021-24 — and Panarin playing at at least a point-per-game pace is paramount to the club returning to playoff contention.
That just isn't happening right now, and he's one of various high-profile players who are struggling. Adam Fox is leading the team with 11 points in 14 games from the back end, which is a concern in its own right.
Meanwhile, JT Miller (eight points) and Mika Zibanejad (six points) are playing well under their respective potentials, and the depth scoring is virtually nonexistent.
If the Rangers can't find a way out of this slump, it could spell the end of Panarin's tenure in New York. General manager Chris Drury might explore the trade market to see what teams would pay for him, even just as a rental, Martin reported.
It'll be interesting to see if the former Calder Trophy winner can help New York right the ship — or if he'll be calling a new city home before the end of 2025-26.
