Artemi Panarin's debut with the Los Angeles Kings brought a fresh look, but for those familiar with his time at the New York Rangers, it felt like déjà vu. In his first game donning the Kings' black-and-white, Panarin logged over 21 minutes, dished out two assists, and maintained a strong expected goal share with new linemates Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere. Yet, the Kings couldn't hold onto their lead, surrendering five goals in the third period to fall 6-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights at Crypto.com Arena.
This scenario might feel all too familiar for Panarin, echoing some of the struggles he faced with the Rangers. It's part of why New York decided to trade him to the Kings just before the Olympic break. The Rangers, sitting at the bottom of the standings, made the move to bolster their prospects, acquiring former first-round pick Liam Greentree in the process.
The Kings, unlike the Rangers, are in the thick of the playoff hunt, just three points shy of a wild card spot in the Western Conference. So, was there extra pressure on Panarin in his Kings debut?
“My career has been full of pressure,” Panarin shared postgame through an interpreter. “I’m used to it and will continue adapting to the system.”
It didn’t take long for Panarin, affectionately known as "The Breadman," to make his mark. He assisted on Quinton Byfield’s power-play goal with a slick cross-ice slap-pass, tying the game 1-1. Later, he set up a beautiful tic-tac-toe play for Kempe, putting the Kings ahead 2-1.
Despite the chemistry he showed with Kempe and Laferriere, boasting an xGF of 57.7 percent and an 11-7 edge in scoring chances, they were on the ice when Reilly Smith, Panarin’s former teammate, scored to push Vegas ahead. Panarin also witnessed Brandt Clarke’s 6-on-5 goal and Ivan Barbashev’s empty-netter for Vegas.
“He gave us what we expected,” Kings coach Jim Hiller noted. “That line showed promising chemistry for their first game together. Panarin’s talent was evident tonight, just as it has been throughout his career.”
Before his Kings debut, Panarin expressed gratitude to the Rangers and their fans for his seven seasons in New York, where he amassed 607 points in 482 games, boasting a franchise-best 1.26 points-per-game average.
Panarin is set to return to Madison Square Garden with the Kings on March 16, a date he's both nervous and excited about, eager to reconnect with familiar faces.