Mike Sullivan Address Defensive Effort With Artemi Panarin

The defensive play of Artemi Panarin is something that has been addressed by Mike Sullivan. 

Panarin has never been known to be a strong defensive player, but Mike Sullivan’s system and newfound culture require all players to buy in from a defensive standpoint. 

The 34-year-old forward seems to get lost in the shuffle often in his own end, while struggling to stay with the man he’s assigned to cover. 

During the New York Rangers’ Thursday game matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, it was Panarin’s defensive zone turnover that led to Nathan MacKinnon’s goal in the final minute of the first period, and he lost track of a blazing-fast Cale Makar, who got past Panarin and warped around the net for a goal in the second period.

Part of Panarin’s defensive struggles is due to an overall lack of effort and intensity, which Sullivan admitted he’s addressed with the superstar forward. 

“We don’t expect (Panarin) to be the best defensive player out there, but everyone is required to play defense,” Sullivan said. “Those are the conversations that I’ve had with him: recognizing when those situations are where you’ve got to lock down. … Everybody knows he drives offense. He’s a talented player, but I think he’s also capable of defending when he’s committed.”

Since Sullivan’s arrival, the Rangers have drastically improved from a defensive standpoint, playing a more structured game with a limited amount of turnovers and attention to detail when it comes to preventing odd-man rushes. 

Now, it’s about making sure every individual player buys into this mentality, and that includes Panarin.