Panarin's Return to MSG: Nervous Ex-Ranger Faces Former Team

Artemi Panarin is preparing for an emotional return to Madison Square Garden on Monday, where he will play against his former team, the New York Rangers. This marks his first visit to the venue he called home for six and a half seasons since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings on February 4th, less than six weeks ago.

Panarin anticipates a mix of nerves and excitement for the game, stating he expects his emotions to affect his performance but is eager to see the fans. He previously signed a seven-year contract with the Rangers in 2019 and led them in scoring for six full seasons, accumulating 607 points in 482 games. His departure came after contract negotiations stalled and the Rangers decided to retool their roster.

Before his return to New York, Panarin has two other games to play: one against the New York Islanders and another against the New Jersey Devils. He acknowledged that while the lack of contract talks prepared him for the trade, he was still saddened by the news from general manager Chris Drury.