Artemi Panarin’s summer away from the New York Rangers hasn’t been the smoothest of times.
According to a report from the Novgorod Gazette, the Rangers winger was fined and had a gun belonging to him confiscated for shooting it illegally on July 6th in Russia. Panarin plead guilty and was fined 40 thousand rubles for the event. Panarin was found to commit “a gross violation of public safety, threatening the life and health of citizens,” according to the report. He is able to appeal the ruling should he so choose.
It’s not the first time that Panarin has had a run-in with the law from his time in Russia. In 2021, after making public statements in support of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Panarin was accused of assaulting an 18-year-old woman in 2011 and bribed law enforcement to drop the charges. The three-time All-Star took a leave of absence from the team that year.
Both the Rangers and the player denied the allegations stating “This is clearly an intimidation tactic being used against [Panarin] for being outspoken on recent political events.”
Last season with the Rangers was one of Panarin’s finest. He tallied 92 points with 63 assists and a career-high nine powerplay goals. In the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs though, Panarin and the Blueshirts struggled as they lost a decisive Game 7 to New Jersey by a 4-0 margin.
