Robert Edwards-Imagn ImagesA New York Rangers duo that wreaked havoc during the 2023-24 season will now have a chance to do the same with the Los Angeles Kings.
Head coach Peter Laviolette and star forward Artemi Panarin are reuniting in Los Angeles, with the hopes of repeating their past success.
The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy during the 2023-24 campaign with a 55-23-4 record and 114 points.
That historic year was largely due to a career season for Panarin in which he recorded 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points in 82 games.
When speaking on NHL Network last month, Laviolette heaped praise on Panarin and seemed optimistic about their future together.
“He was fantastic in New York,” Laviolette said of Panarin. “I really enjoyed my time with Artemi. He could be one of the most talented players I’ve ever coached over the 25 years I’ve been in the game. He has the ability to see the game differently. The shiftyness to his game, what he’s able to do with the puck, the way he moves, the way he shoots. It’s not this big one-timer shot he gets off.
“He just has the ability to make a move, make a little bit of space, and he puts it in the back of the net. He’s a great playmaker as well, so I think he makes other players on the ice better as well. I had a really good time with Artemi in New York, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Rangers fired Laviolette after missing the playoffs during the 2024-25 season, and he took a full year off from coaching before being hired by the Kings in June, signing a three-year contract.
Meanwhile, Panarin was traded by the Rangers to the Kings in February in exchange for Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-round pick.
